Axed Brisbane Broncos outside back Selwyn Cobbo has reportedly been speaking with a rival team's head coach as he looks to secure his future beyond the 2025 NRL season.
One of the many off-contract players at the club, Cobbo is expected to generate significant interest from rival teams and has previously been linked with the North Queensland Cowboys,ย Sydney Roosters, and three other unnamed clubs.
Although it is understood thatย his preference is to remain at the Brisbane Broncos, there has been constant chatter that Cobbo is weighing up testing the open market, where he is sure to demand interest alongside fellow centreย Kotoni Staggs.
This comes as the Broncos are also facing salary cap issues and are unlikely to retain both, as Ezra Mam,ย Reece Walsh,ย Patrick Carrigan, andย Payne Haas are all on big-money contracts heading into the future.
Now, Cobbo has been linked with a sensational move to the South Sydney Rabbitohs to play under Wayne Bennett.
"Selwyn Cobbo has been speaking with Wayne Bennett about a move to the Rabbitohs," Greg 'Marto' Martin said onย Triple M Breakfast with Marto, Margaux & Dan.
South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett has since shut the door on a move for Cobbo, confirming that he did not meet with the Broncos outside back about a potential move.
โHe isn't coming to Souths,โ Bennett told The Courier-Mail.
โI don't know where this report has come from but I haven't had a single meeting with Selwyn Cobbo. I don't know him. I've never met him.
โLook, Selwyn is a wonderful talent but there's been no discussions for him to come here. For a start, with our salary cap the way it is, we can't afford him.
โSelwyn isn't going to take a pay cut to come to Souths, so it's not even an option for us anyway. I've had no chats with him.โ
The surprising links to the Rabbitohs come as he was demoted to the QLD Cup last week due to not meeting the standards set by head coach Michael Maguire.
Winning the first match in six weeks last round, Cobbo is unlikely to be called back up to first-grade in Round 16 as his replacement Josiah Karapani crossed over the try-line for a double.
"As a group and as a leadership group and as a coach, we're pushing standards here and expectations in how we're doing things," the Broncos coach said last week in regards to Cobbo's axing.
"Karapani's got his opportunity and Selly's (Cobbo) got to look at a few things in his game and we'll go from there.
"I talk to Selly a lot. There's obviously things that every player goes through at times and this is no different.
"Selly's in the background doing his work to make sure he gets himself right."
