Brisbane legend Steve Renouf has backed Selwyn Cobbo to follow in his footsteps and become a successful long-term Broncos centre, so long as he makes the new position his own.
Cobbo will get his first start at centre this year in Sunday’s trial with North Queensland after coach Kevin Walters switched him from the wing to cover the position held by former Broncos star Herbie Farnworth.
Four-time premiership winner Renouf is regarded as the Broncos’ greatest ever centre, a position from where he scored most of his club-record 142 tries.
“Selwyn can be a great success at centre so long as he owns the position,” Renouf told AAP.
“He won’t want to be swapped around too much from this point on. I debuted on the wing but I made it quite clear that I wanted to be a centre, which is what I came to the Broncos to do as a junior.
“I’ve always wanted to see Selwyn as a centre and now he has a great chance to stay there and be the long-term replacement for Herbie Farnworth as that left centre.”
Cobbo, like Renouf, has proven himself to be a try-scoring whiz. He’s already scored 37 tries in just 49 NRL games.
Defence was not the strong suit of the man known as “Pearl” when he debuted in 1989 and he said that would also be the challenge for Cobbo.
“One thing he will have to learn, as we all did, is that centre is very different defensively to wing,” Renouf said.
“Centre has a little bit more pressure associated with it but Selwyn will just have to learn to trust the men inside and outside him.
“Wayne Bennett made me work a lot on my defence and I corrected in the end and learned to make better decisions.”
It is in attack where Renouf insists Cobbo will give the Broncos strike and a real presence.
“Selwyn is smart with his ability to change his game,” Renouf said.
“He doesn’t have to belt himself into the defence even though he is big enough to do it. I just think centre will come naturally to him with his line running.
"His wonderful instincts will kick in. He is also very good with his hands so he will create tries and score them.”
Last year Cobbo played as a right winger and had a successful rapport with fullback Reece Walsh who set him up for multiple tries.
Walsh is just as lethal on both sides of the field and will play in Sunday’s trial in Mackay where he will aim to work closely with Cobbo in his new position.
