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Selwyn Cobbo lights Origin fuse early by branding Jarome Luai as GRUB after the Blues villain stood over the unconscious Broncos end and taunted him.
- The bad blood between Selwyn Cobbo and Jarome Luai will intensify this year
- Luai was convicted after insulting a shocked winger in Origin III
- On the recent Back of the 135 podcast, Cobbo, 20, labeled the NSW star a ‘grub’
- Cobbo was also criticized after declaring that Kevin Walters “is not the best coach”
State of Origin doesn’t kick off until May 31 in Adelaide, but Queensland winger Selwyn Cobbo has already lit the fuse.
The 20-year-old, who also grabbed recent headlines after declaring on a now-infamous podcast that Brisbane Broncos club great Kevin Walters is “a good guy but not the best manager”, has singled out Jarome Luai, tagging the center from NSW as a ‘food.’
It follows Luai insulting the rising star in last year’s Origin decider when the flyer was eliminated at Suncorp Stadium.
Luai, apparently happy to be painted as a villain, then stated that he didn’t know that Cobbo was in shock.
But a powered up Cobbo had none of it months later.
Queensland’s young gun Selwyn Cobbo isn’t a fan of Jarome Luai, labeling the NSW Blues villain a ‘grub’
It follows Luai throwing abuse at the rising star in the Origin decider last year when the midfielder was removed.
Cobbo was forced to leave the field with a neck brace and sat out further in the Maroons’ decisive game win at Suncorp Stadium.
“It’s just a larva,” Cobbo told the behind the 135 podcast. ‘Nah, yeah, I was pretty disappointed, huh?
‘Nah, yes, Luai is a larva, yes.’
Luai was condemned for his antics by many football fans at the time, but he was baffled.
‘That’s Origin, the heat of the moment. I play with a lot of passion,’ said the two-time premiership winner with Penrith.
“I spoke to him (Cobbo) after the game and he was all good, great to see that.”
The Maroons’ Patrick Carrigan and the Blues’ Jarome Luai then became involved in a brawl, with the Queensland players furious in the fifth eighth
Luai later stated that he “had nothing to apologize for” and is now public enemy number one in Queensland.
When asked if he apologized to the Maroons star, Luai replied, “I don’t think I have anything to apologize for.”
There was no damage. I didn’t touch it.
Cobbo, if selected by an ‘injured’ Walters following his astonishing comments on the podcast, may look to exact revenge at NRL level in Brisbane’s season opener on March 3 at Bluebet Stadium.
Penrith are chasing a historic treble this season, with Parramatta the last team to achieve the decorated feat between 1981 and 1983.