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Walters backs Broncos No.1 Cobbo to back up Luai taunt

3 minute read

Brisbane coach Kevin Walters is not fazed by the Dolphins' poaching raids on his players and insists fullback Selwyn Cobbo will deliver against Penrith.

KEVIN WALTERS.
KEVIN WALTERS. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Brisbane coach Kevin Walters is confident fullback Selwyn Cobbo will walk the talk after he lit the fuse for an explosive confrontation with Penrith playmaker Jarome Luai.

The Broncos mentor has also detailed why he is not fazed by the Dolphins' poaching raids on his players that manifested itself this week with centre Herbie Farmworth and prop Tom Flegler joining the new NRL club from next year.

The 20-year-old Cobbo, who will play in the No.1 jersey on Friday night in Penrith with Reece Walsh injured, said a lot of things in a controversial podcast late last year.

One of them was that Luai was "a grub" for the way he stood over Cobbo and jibed him when he was knocked out in last year's State of Origin decider.

Luai said later he did not realise Cobbo had been knocked out cold. Luai has since told Cobbo to "bring it on" as have Panthers teammates including forward Scott Sorensen who said "if there's a challenge put in front of (Luai), he's all for it".

Walters said he had "great faith in Selwyn".

"There is a lot of banter around the game. That's OK, but Selwyn will be out there for us and he will be ready," he said.

"Selwyn keeps delivering on the field and that's what we mark our players on. Obviously off field as well, but what he delivers on the field is a high level of performance and we need that from him."

Walters said he was "comfortable" with the loss of Farnworth and Flegler and added he had no doubt they would show their commitment to Brisbane on the park this year.

"We offered both those boys contracts and they elected to move on," he said.

"We have re-signed some of our younger guys recently and will do in the future.

"The Dolphins are great for competition. Let's get that out there. We are going to lose players to them. We already have. Melbourne have lost players.

"Every club is going to lose players to the Dolphins so let's just get on with it."

The Broncos announced the re-signings of hooker Cory Paix and prop Corey Jensen in the last week and Walters said the Dolphins would not stop the club achieving its goals.

"We are sharpening up our knives as such to be the club we know we can be and the Dolphins won't have an effect on that," he said.

"If we keep doing what we are planning to do, and as far as I can see everything is right on target ... no-one else is going to be bother us."

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