Could Cobbo command $1 million per season on the open market?

After an already-chaotic last few weeks, the Brisbane Broncos are seemingly set for one major shake-up this offseason as the club chooses between keeping either Selwyn Cobbo or Kotoni Staggs.

Re-signing both players according to their market value is very unlikely considering the club’s salary cap constraints, as the pair become free to negotiate with rival clubs.

With Staggs publicly stating his desire to stay at Red Hill, Cobbo, on the back of a disappointing season, could be forced to leave the club if he is to be paid as one of the game’s best centres.

Cobbo’s future was cast into even further doubt when a rumour began circulating on Facebook that he was close to signing with the North Queensland Cowboys.

Reacting to the rumour, SEN’s Corey Parker admitted whilst he hadn’t got wind of that story yet, it could be very beneficial for Cobbo to grow his career under the tutelage of Cowboys legend Jonathan Thurston.

“I agree 100 per cent in the sense that he would benefit if he was to go to the Cowboys under JT,” Parker told SENQ Breakfast.

“What JT would be able to teach Selwyn would be certainly invaluable.

“Having said that, I haven’t heard this rumour yet, I haven’t been on Facebook overnight so I haven’t seen this sort of stuff.

“They’ve got Zac Laybutt, Jaxon Purdue and also Vailea and the co, it’s an interesting one.

“If he was going anywhere, it would make sense for him to go North to the Cowboys but if that was the case he would be taking be taking, I would’ve thought anyhow, Valentine Holmes’ money, $800 or $900k.”

Parker also questioned if the move was a realistic one or not, considering his belief that Cobbo could command over a million dollars per season on the open market.

“I’ve openly said, if Selwyn Cobbo goes on the open market, I think he could fetch in excess of a million dollars, I just do,” Parker added.

“Whether they have that in their cap, I’m not sure, given the fact that they’ve let a few people go maybe there is some room to move in the cap.

“That’s an interesting one, watch this space, if it’s on Facebook wow, it must be gospel,” Parker jokingly added.

Weighing in on the debate over which of the two centres the Broncos should keep, Parker conceded that if the players are to get maximum value the club cannot sign them both.

“If they’re trying to get maximum dollar for themselves, then yes I think one of them has to go,” Parker concluded.

Staggs is contracted until the end of 2025 on a deal worth $700k per season whilst Cobbo also has 12 months to run on his contract, paying him $625k a year.