Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire has shed light on the shock omission of star winger Selwyn Cobbo, confirming the decision was driven by a desire to enforce higher performance standards within the team.
Cobbo, who turned 23 the same day the news of his axing broke, was originally slated to start against the Gold Coast Titans. However, he was replaced by Josiah Karapani, a move that has drawn significant attention given Cobbo’s status and potential contract implications, as he remains unsigned beyond the 2025 NRL season.
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Speaking on Friday, Maguire said the decision was not personal but part of a broader cultural shift he’s implementing at the club.
“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,” Maguire stated. “Karapani’s got his opportunity and Selly’s got to look at a few things in his game and we’ll go from there.”
While the move could dent Cobbo’s market value amid ongoing contract uncertainty, Maguire remained focused on team dynamics rather than off-field consequences.
“I don’t look at it from that point of view,” he said. “I’m here to coach the team. We’re creating standards … the more you meet those standards, the more opportunities you have.”
Despite the public setback, Maguire assured that Cobbo is still very much part of the Broncos’ future plans.
“I talk to Selly a lot. There’s obviously things every player goes through at times and this is no different. He’s in the background doing his work to make sure he gets himself right.”
While the decision has sparked mixed reactions — with some critics labeling Cobbo a scapegoat — Maguire’s stance is clear: team standards come first, and no player is exempt from meeting them.
