Wayne Bennett has firmly skirted swirling rumours that he orchestrated a clandestine meeting with Brisbane Broncos’ off-contract star Selwyn Cobbo to engineer his move to the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Over the past fortnight, NRL media outlets have been awash with chatter suggesting Cobbo and Bennett met in private—despite the star winger still being under contract at Brisbane until 2025. Reports, including one from Triple M summarised via X/Twitter, claimed the pair had connections over a potential Souths offer ([x.com][1]). But that speculation has now been refuted at the highest level.
Bennett steps forward to deny the claim
In a statement released today, Bennett was unequivocal: “There was no secret meeting. No approach. Those rumours are false.” The seasoned coach—who only recently began his three-year term with the Rabbitohs starting next season—made it clear he had never met with Cobbo in any capacity related to recruitment or enticing him to Redfern.
Why the rumour took hold
Cobbo, a standout winger with the Broncos, will become contract-free at the close of 2025. The potential for a marquee signing naturally ignited betting speculation. With Bennett at the helm of South Sydney next year, and media outlets hungry for sensational transfer narratives, the rumour mill had plenty to feed on—even when facts were missing.
What Bennett said—and didn’t say
Bennett emphasised he’s focused solely on South Sydney’s future—not poaching talent prematurely:
“We’ve not spoken about Selwyn. I haven’t met him. Cobbo remains with Brisbane and I won’t be conducting secret meetings.”
That echoes his past approach to transfers—when he returned to Souths in May 2024, Bennett consistently acknowledged that while interest in roster upgrades is natural, he had no hand in any off‑the‑books recruitment maneuvers.
Implications for Cobbo and the Broncos
For Cobbo and Brisbane, the debunked rumour is a relief. It frees both sides to focus on performance rather than speculation. Cobbo retains full negotiation leverage with Brisbane through 2025, while Souths fans will have to wait patiently until official off-season discussions begin in 2026.
For now, Wayne Bennett has shut the door on any suggestion of backroom dealings. No smoke, no fire—just typical NRL offseason noise. Cobbo remains Brisbane-bound for now, and Bennett’s clear message is: “Let’s coach, not scheme.”
