Perth Bears coach Mal Meninga believes there are some ‘off-field’ issues Selwyn Cobbo needs to fix after admitting he’s a player the NRL’s newest club could look to sign. Cobbo’s short-term future was finally sorted out on Friday after the Dolphins confirmed they had agreed a one-year deal to sign the out-of-favour Broncos star in 2026, leaving the door open for him to join Meninga’s Bears in 2027, when they enter the competition.
Cobbo has been on the outer at Brisbane after being dumped to reserve grade, with Michael Maguire’s side offering a two-year extension to his replacement Josiah Karapani. That followed the re-signings of Brisbane captain Adam Reynolds, Kotoni Staggs and Blake Mozer, meaning the Broncos were only able to offer Cobbo around $300,000 per year to stay. He’s currently on about $$650,000 per year.
But the Dolphins have handed Cobbo a lifeline after confirming on Friday that they’d agreed a one-year deal to bring the former Maroons Origin star to the club next season. “The Dolphins have always said we are about continuing to build a roster that will make us one of the top teams in the NRL,” Dolphins’ CEO Terry Reader said about the signing.
“Selwyn is an accomplished player who has done some amazing things at both Origin and NRL level already. But we believe he has untapped potential to go to even greater heights in our game and are excited about what he can do in a Dolphins jersey.”
Cobbo will see out the season in Brisbane before joining up with the Dolphins in November when pre-season training for next season begins. But the fact the deal with Kristian Woolf’s side is only for one season could be telling, with the Perth Bears to enter the competition the following season and Meninga previously admitting his interest in the star.
Thank you, Sel 💛
Selwyn will depart the club at the end of the season.
Details 📲 https://t.co/ae1S01EjkC pic.twitter.com/bZ2jxst7Qa
— Brisbane Broncos (@brisbanebroncos) June 26, 2025
Door open for Selwyn Cobbo to join Perth Bears in 2027
“It’d be silly not to consider someone like Selwyn,” Meninga said recently. “With my recruitment guy and head of football, we’ll make sure we don’t leave any stone unturned… There’s no doubting Selwyn’s talent, so you’ve got to talk to those guys if they are available.”
Meninga has since revealed that he is yet to speak with Cobbo but believes his recent struggles come down to off-field issues that he needs to address. “I have found over the years that loss of form or you’re not playing well doesn’t come from loss of talent, it comes from desire and issues off-field. That’s where I think his career is at the moment. He has a few things to solve,” Meninga told SEN.
Meninga handed Cobbo his Test debut for the Kangaroos against Samoa in 2023 and has a proven track coaching some of the game’s best Indigenous players such as Johnathan Thurston and Greg Inglis at Origin level. The incoming Bears coach hasn’t had a chance to speak with Cobbo yet, with his Perth tenure set to officially begin on July 1.
But the veteran mentor believes the 23-year-old needs to find his love of the game again and highlighted the importance of his Indigenous community in Cherbourg. “You have to find the reason why you do anything in life,” Meninga added. “If Selwyn can find the spark again and the love of the game by going back to family or being in the community, then that’s great… We don’t want Cobbo falling out of love and then 12 years down the track saying he could have been something.”
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