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'Paid off': Cobbo named Queensland's best after promise
Joel Gould, AAP •  September 25th, 2026 8:16 am
Queensland winger Selwyn Cobbo won the award for the side's best in the State of Orgin series | Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP
Dolphins winger Selwyn Cobbo received a boost ahead of the NRL preliminary final after winning Queensland's best player award for the State of Origin series.
The 24-year-old scored four tries, made four line breaks and averaged a stunning 184m across the three matches of 2-1 series loss. He was recalled by coach Billy Slater after a two-year absence from the Origin arena, due to the stellar club form he has displayed for the Dolphins.
Cobbo was a worthy winner of the Ron McAuliffe Medal, named in honour of the former senator and influential boss of the Queensland Rugby League.
Selwyn Cobbo scored four tries and averaged a stunning 184m across the three Origin matches | Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP
Cobbo will play against the Sydney Roosters in the grand final qualifier on Friday night.
He won the Queensland gong at the QRL season awards on Thursday night in Brisbane, 17 years after Maroons legend Greg Inglis, who was his idol growing up.
Maroons prop Tino Fa'asuamaleaui took out the FOGS Peter Jackson Memorial Award after his brave and emotional display in game two in Melbourne, where he played his heart out just days after his father Fereti Fa'asuamaleaui had died.
The Maroons won the match 44-24.
Maroons prop Tino Fa'asuamaleaui was a tower of strength in an emotional game two of Origin | Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP
The award, named in honour of late Queensland star Jackson, is presented to a Maroons player or one of the support staff who epitomises what the Queensland Origin spirit is all about
Cobbo moved to the Dolphins from Brisbane this year and has had a career-best season under head coach Kristian Woolf.
He took on board advice from Maroons coach Slater, who gave him his debut in 2022.
Selwyn Cobbo enjoyed every minute of his State of Origin series | Photo: Dave Hunt/AAP
"I'd been there in Origin for a couple of years but didn't play last year, which wasn't the best year for me," Cobbo said.
"I wanted to get back, so I worked really hard the whole off-season. All the extras I was doing paid off.
"As Billy says, if you work hard for it the rewards will come. He was real good throughout the camps, the staff as well.
"Just knowing I can play 80 minutes of Origin was a shock to me, but I enjoyed every moment of it."
Maroons star Selwyn Cobbo scores one of his four tries in the 2026 Origin series | Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP
Cobbo recently re-signed with the Dolphins until the end of 2031 after finding his feet following a disappointing 2025 at the Broncos.
"The club has done a lot for me. They told me they would bring me back to Origin, and I just want to give back to them and play good footy here for the next five years," he said.
Cobbo's fierce ball running in Origin this year would have made Inglis proud.
Queensland Origin great Greg Inglis was Selwyn Cobbo's idol | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
"He was my idol growing up, the way he played ... strong. It would have been hard defending against him," Cobbo said.
Now Cobbo is on track to cap off a great season with a recall to the Australian side under his old club coach Kevin Walters at the World Cup, which is another goal.
"It would be good to chuck on that (Australian) jersey again and play under Kevvie. I'll work hard to get back there," he said.
