Queensland selector Darren Lockyer has explained the “easy” call behind Selwyn Cobbo‘s omission from the squad ahead of game two.
After a blistering performance off the bench in the State of Origin opener, the 22-year-old was left out of Billy Slater‘s squad after revelations of some niggling injuries.
Cobbo played in both club matches for the Broncos following his appearance for the Maroons, leading to some uncertainty over the severity of his issues.
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But speaking on Wide World of Sports’ QLDER, Lockyer explained that the honesty shown by Cobbo was what persuaded Slater to make the change, allowing Kurt Capewell to join the bench.
”The decision in the end was pretty easy,” he said.
“I congratulate Selwyn for being open and honest about it. He is carrying a few niggles at the moment and I think it’s affecting him mentally.
“He was pretty open and honest with Billy about whether he was capable of performing in that arena and there is nowhere to hide in Origin.
“He’s young and it’s not like it’s over, he will be back in the Maroons jersey at some point, but now is just not the right time to push him physically and mentally.
“Given we are 1-0 up in the series, that’s a bit of a luxury that Billy has got. It’s a big decision, but at the same time it’s the right one.”
Cobbo finished with 15 runs for 167 metres, two linebreak assists and nine tackle breaks in game one, coming into the fray early in the contest after Reece Walsh was ruled out.
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The side will now enter the clash in Melbourne without a specialist back on the bench, but Queensland icon Wally Lewis believes it wasn’t worth the gamble with Cobbo.
“If they tell a fib to their mates, as well as the doctor, to get themselves in a game like that, it really could be quite an expensive one,” he said.
“It’s a pretty tough one … honesty is the best policy in an Origin match. When you have doubt and you’re playing against the finest players in the game, that can certainly be an enormous penalty that you pay and put forward to your mates.
“If you pull out, you are doing the best thing for yourself, teammates and state.”
The only other change for the Maroons sees J’maine Hopgood drop out due to a back injury and Felise Kaufusi elevated from 18th man duties.