By Wayne Heming
With several NRL clubs circling and prepared to “sell the farm” to get their hands on young Brisbane Broncos talent Selwyn Cobbo at the end of the year, one of the club’s former greats, Petero Civoniceva, believes the six-time premiers must keep the 22-year-old in their stable.
Civoniceva, who played a combined 78 games for Queensland and Australia and 235 of his 309 NRL career games, believes the Cherbourg-born Cobbo has the potential to join the greats of the game once he reaches his full potential.
With the brilliance and speed of Reece Walsh, and Ezra Mam, complimented by flying winger Deine Mariner and powerhouse centre Kotoni Staggs, Brisbane has the nucleus to dominate the NRL in the future.
Add Cobbo to the mix and Brisbane has a backline comparable to the sides of the 1990s which included names such as Allan Langer, Kevin Walters, Chris Johns, Steve Renouf, Wendell Sailor, Michael Hancock, and Darren Lockyer, just to name a few.
Queensland coach Billy Slater drew widespread criticism before game one when he added Cobbo to his 17-man squad at the expense of another big forward.
The gamble turned out to be a masterstroke after Walsh was wiped out following seven minutes of battle by rookie Blues centre Jospeh Sua’ali’I, who will miss the return game at the MCG on Wednesday week.
Cobbo was superb replacing Walsh, making 167 tough metres from his 15 runs.
Civoniceva believes Cobbo can scale the heights of former Fogs great #152 Greg Inglis who played 32 Origins for Queensland and is still the state’s leading try scorer.
“You watch his carries, he bumps and fends off players in a similar style to Greg (Inglis) and to think he is just starting his career.
“I’d like to think when he starts to realise how big and powerful he really is, he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with said Civoniceva of Fog #222.
“It’s pretty scary because I think he is only just scratching the surface with his physicality,”
“He’s certainly not the smallest human being out there and he can certainly do a fair bit of damage.
“And loves the contact.”
The Maroons head to Melbourne in the box seat leading 1-0 in the series after a big 38-10 win in Sydney when the Blues played the last 73 minutes with 12 men.
History shows the team taking the first Origin game has a great record of taking out the series and with the third game at Suncorp, the Maroons are right when Slater wants them.
All the pressure is now on NSW and rookie coach Michael Maguire to rescue the series and he is tipped to make a few changes to his side with fullback Dylan Edwards set to finally make his debut.
Class centre Latrell Mitchell or Bradman Best will most likely replace Sua’ali’I with Mitchell Moses in the No.7 ahead of Nicho Hynes.
Queensland is expected to name an unchanged side for game two on Monday morning.
