Brisbane Broncos and Queensland Maroons star outside back Selwyn Cobbo is reportedly weighing up hitting the open market, with the belief he could be worth up to $1 million per season.
The Broncos are facing a salary cap crunch in the coming weeks.
Kotoni Staggs, Reece Walsh and Cobbo are among the players who are all off-contract at the end of the 2025 NRL season, and could hit the open market to potentially sign with rival clubs from November 1.
It was revealed late last week that Staggs hasn't been presented with a new offer just six weeks out from the deadline, and now it is reported the same is true of Cobbo.
It comes with the Broncos' salary cap already stretched, given the club have big money deals in place for multiple players, led by the game's best prop in Payne Haas.
The salary cap crunch at Red Hill seems to have brought things to a standstill, with the fresh revelation over Cobbo not yet receiving a new offer per News Corp.
It's understood Cobbo's preference is to stay at the Broncos, but for that to remain a likely possibility, they will need to put a suitable offer in front of him before November 1.
While Cobbo may take unders to stay at the club if he receives a deal before November 1, the last time he was on the open market, half the competition was chasing him.
Able to play wing or centre with a long-term goal of moving to fullback, there is little doubt Cobbo would receive a large upgrade on the open market, and it's unclear if they have the money to go with rival clubs.
That said, it's understood Broncos' management are confident of retaining both Cobbo and Staggs, as well as Walsh, who is believed to have already received a new offer despite a difficult 2024 campaign.
Cobbo’s dreaming lomax is a way better winger then cobbo and a pretty good goal kicker, and whats he on something around 700k maybe a bit more. The sooner these money hungry players get the picture that 1 over payed bloke cant win the comp by myself the sooner the team he’s in will b a better team. (OTHER WAY 2 MANY OVER PAYED PLAYERS IN THE GAME) Be consistent for a couple of years b4 you think u
can get the big money.
Team full of super stars and they couldn’t make the 8. Perhaps these blokes need to focus more on their footy and less on their salaries. The old boys would be ashamed of the way this side played this season. Expensive show ponies won’t win you a premiership.
If the Broncos were coming off a successful season, and in the finals, then there would be a case for trying to keep the team together.
However, the Broncos have played like a collection of individuals, not like a cohesive team. If the coach were not in a shaky position, his best approach would be to tell all three that the club cannot afford to keep more than one of them, and to hire some guys who are “team players” rather than “out for every penny”.
Wayne could get away with that, but if Kevvie tries that he will be sacked because he does not have a history of success as an NRL head coach (being a successful Origin coach does not count, because it’s a different, simpler challenge).
Whatever he does, he needs to bite the bullet and do it now, not wait until November.