TAULAGI, COBBO ON WING AND A PRAYER
SELWYN Cobbo has appealed for Queensland coach Billy Slater not to axe him as the Broncos young gun braces for a high-stakes showdown with Origin wing teammate Murray Taulagi in tonight’s Cowboys derby.
The Broncos-cowboys blockbuster in Townsville will pit Cobbo against Taulagi – and represent the last-chance saloon for Brisbane veteran Corey Oates to clinch a Maroons wing berth for the Origin decider on Wednesday week.
Cobbo and Taulagi were Queensland comrades in Origin II but the Maroons’ dismal 44-12 thumping has turned up the heat on the duo ahead of their wing battle at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
Cobbo will start on the right flank for Brisbane, putting him on a collision course with Taulagi, whose brilliance on the left wing for the Cowboys this season sealed his Origin debut in Game Two.
But the rookie pair’s error-riddled night at Perth’s Optus Stadium has left Cobbo or Taulagi vulnerable, especially if Oates, a member of Queensland’s extended squad in Origin II, has a blinder in Townsville.
After a sizzling start to the season, Cobbo has made six errors in his past two games for the Broncos and Queensland and admits he cannot take his Maroons jumper for granted.
“I hope Billy picks me in the team again,” Cobbo said. “I have to perform well this week and hopefully Billy wants me back there. I’ve been shocked at how tough Origin is. It’s a different game to NRL. I’ve enjoyed it, but it’s really physical and faster than anything I have ever played.”
There is a view the Maroons cannot afford to take two rookie wingers into the decider at Suncorp as NSW chase a fourth crown in five years.
The Blues appeared to target Cobbo and Taulagi in Origin II, with NSW centre Matt Burton peppering Queensland’s back three with a series of towering bombs, one of which the Cowboys winger grassed.
Oates, also a left winger, is breathing down Taulagi’s neck.
The Broncos veteran is in the best form of his career. Aside from 12 tries in 14 matches, the 27-year-old is averaging 178m per game and would give Slater the comfort of eight Origin appearances since his debut in 2019.
Three wingers into two Maroons spots won’t work. Someone will miss out, but Cowboys coach Todd Payten urged Slater to retain Taulagi for Queensland’s revenge mission.
“Murray was pretty strong in Origin apart from that one error,” Payten said.
“They were kicking down the other edge to nullify Murray’s carries out of his own end.
“I thought he was pretty strong and he didn’t look out of his depth at all.
“I was disappointed for him around the error he made, but overall it was a solid debut and I hope he is there for Game Three.”