NRL market watch: Broncos move to take Selwyn Cobbo off the market, Kini eyes $1m reward

The Brisbane Broncos face a battle to get Selwyn Cobbo off the open market but a mega offer from an NRL rival could be too hard to refuse. SEE THE NRL’S HOTTEST OFF-CONTRACT PLAYERS.

(L-R) Ryan MAtterson, Selwyn Cobbo, Cody Walker and Josh Papalii are all on the NRL free agent market.

Brisbane have begun negotiations on a new deal for Selwyn Cobbo to stave off the threat of $1 million poaching raids for the Queensland Origin star.

This masthead can reveal Broncos bosses have kicked off preliminary talks with the matchwinning utility back ahead of Saturday night’s clash against the Raiders in Canberra.

The Maroons maestro is the hottest rising star left on the open market in the wake of Parramatta Eels pivot Dylan Brown’s decision to defect to Newcastle from next season on a 10-year, $13 million deal.

The off-contract Cobbo remains a free agent heading into the round 2 clash at GIO Stadium and there were fears about his long-term future at Red Hill following a tumultuous 2024 campaign.

The Broncos are moving to take Selwyn Cobbo off the market. Picture: NRL Photos

Those concerns have been amplified by Brisbane closing in on a multimillion-dollar extension for his backline cohort Kotoni Staggs, who is set to remain at the Broncos until 2028 or 2029.

Cobbo had a drama-charged finish to last season – he was given time off by the Broncos to address some personal issues – and both parties agreed to put contract talks on hold over summer to allow the Cherbourg ace to focus on football.

But new Broncos coach Michael Maguire is keen to retain Cobbo and the 22-year-old made a formidable statement with a hat-trick in Brisbane’s 50-14 thrashing of the Roosters in round 1.

At least three NRL clubs have expressed interest in Cobbo, who was linked with the Roosters last season to replace rugby defectors Joey Manu and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, but the Broncos are up for the fight.

Maguire showed his commitment to Cobbo by making a trip to Cherbourg a fortnight ago to meet his family and community and the premiership coach insists the Indigenous flyer has a future at Red Hill.

“We are working our way through things (with his contract),” Maguire said. “There’s never been any question about his talent. I am looking forward to Selwyn being a big part of this year.”

While rapt with Cobbo’s season-opening treble, Maguire also lauded his desperate chase to stop runaway Rooster Dominic Young, evidence of the winger’s desire and commitment to the Broncos cause.

Big effort areas from Selwyn Cobbo in round one.

“It was great,” Maguire said of Cobbo’s futile pursuit of Young.

“’Selly’ was so disappointed he didn’t get him because he put a great effort in to get across there.

“Selly came from the far side.

“If you keep doing that then you’re going to come up with some big plays for your teammates.

“That’s what they’re all trying to do for each other. You’ve got to bottle that because it’s what the good teams are doing.”

Three factors are critical in Cobbo’s retention: Brisbane’s salary cap situation, the NRL’s expansion threat and the backline sensation’s positional preference.

The Broncos are adamant they can afford to keep both Staggs and Cobbo under the salary cap, but Brisbane cannot win a bidding war if an NRL rival tables a massive deal.

With the Perth Bears and Papua New Guinea due to enter the NRL in 2027-28, the two new expansion clubs will be on the hunt for players and Cobbo could easily command $1 million-a-season as a marquee signing.

That asking price would be aided by Cobbo’s desire to wear the No.1 jumper. He accepts that won’t happen at a Broncos club that has fullback superstar Reece Walsh locked into a $4.4 million deal until the end of 2029.

Currently on around $650,000 this season, Cobbo is happy to play wing or centre at the Broncos but a mega offer from an NRL rival, dangling the fullback carrot, could be too hard to refuse.

Former Broncos skipper Corey Parker says Brisbane will come under enormous salary cap stress to keep Cobbo if they upgrade Staggs and superstar prop Payne Haas, a free agent from November 1, to new deals this season.

“If Brisbane re-sign Kotoni Staggs, which it sounds like they will, I don’t know what they have left in the cap for Cobbo,” Parker said.

“Selwyn gets $1 million at any other club, easily.

“If he wants to play fullback long term, the reality is he has to leave.

“What can the Broncos seriously afford to pay him under the salary cap?

“We don’t know the amount, but if he wants to play fullback, he can earn a lot more elsewhere.

“Selwyn isn’t going to take a pay cut to stay, so if he went to the open market there would be a stack of clubs wanting to sign him.”

TITANIC RISE: KINI ON TRACK FOR NRL’S $1 MILLION CLUB

Keano Kini has been hailed the NRL’s next $1 million fullback with the Titans facing a big-money battle to retain the rising Kiwis star.

Kini has become one of the hottest backline prospects in the NRL as the Gold Coast young gun prepares to launch his 2025 campaign against the Bulldogs at Belmore on Sunday.

The quick-stepping prodigy won the Paul Broughton Medal as Gold Coast’s player of the year in 2024 and is off-contract at the end of 2026, making him a free agent from November 1 this year.

Reece Walsh recently inked a $4.4 million upgrade at the Broncos and Kini is on a similar trajectory to join the NRL’s $1 million-a-season club following his breakout season.

With the NRL’s salary cap increasing, $1 million-a-year players are becoming more popular and Gold Coast’s only current seven-figure men are Queensland Origin forwards Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and David Fifita.

Keano Kini averaged more than four tackle busts per game in 2024. Picture: Getty Images

The Titans are screaming out for a marquee spine player and Kini could be that man if the 22-game novice continues his meteoric rise.

PSM player agent Chris Orr this week brokered Parramatta playmaker Dylan Brown’s $13 million, 10-year move to Newcastle and believes Kini is set to join the NRL’s million-dollar fraternity.

“I think Kini has the potential to be one of the premier fullbacks in the game,” he said.

“He gives so much in all areas of the game. He loves the attack, he’s a freak in that regard, but he is also disciplined and not afraid to put himself in harm’s way and take the tough carries.

“All the best fullbacks command over $1 million per year and in my opinion Kini is in that special company.

“As good a player as he is, he is more importantly an even better human being. He is so respectful and grounded. He is a great ambassador for the Titans and has a good head on his shoulders for a young man.

“There’s very few fullbacks in the game that can do what he does. I have no doubt he is a valuable team member for the Titans and would be on any team’s recruitment target list.”

Kini, 20, was so impressive in 16 NRL appearances last year that Gold Coast coach Des Hasler handed him the team’s No. 1 jersey for this season ahead of the more experienced AJ Brimson and Jayden Campbell.

The New Zealand product is incredibly fit, highlighted by his 2024 average of 191m a game to go with 73 tackle busts.

The quietly-spoken and humble Kini will become a father in the coming months and said he was surprised by his season that culminated in a Kiwis Test debut.

“I was hoping that I would get that sort of success, but you can never really tell until the season goes on,” he said.

“I backed myself with the pre-season I had … I just backed myself to do well and hopefully I can continue that form this year even better.

“I’m not the biggest fella. My dad taught me that speed is power, so the harder I run into tackles, the less likely to get you are to get hurt or the more likely you are to break tackles.

“I just back myself and try to be a bit fearless.”

Kini’s rise has squeezed fellow fullbacks Brimson into five-eighth and Campbell to halfback.

The Titans would be loath to lose a player of Kini’s talent but he has more important things to worry about than his contract as Gold Coast looks to bounce out of the NRL’s bottom four this year.

“I haven’t really thought about any contract extensions or anything like that,” Kini said.

“I’m just trying to focus on footy at the moment and hopefully see what comes out of it.

“But I love the Gold Coast and I would love to stay here.”

Originally published as NRL market watch: Broncos move to take Selwyn Cobbo off the market, Kini eyes $1m reward