'Take it in your stride and rip in': GI's advice to Cobbo

Queensland Maroons great Greg Inglis was 19 when he made his State of Origin debut in 2006. The same age Selwyn Cobbo is now.

Inglis scored two tries in the first match of the series, which was narrowly won 17-16 by New South Wales, but Queensland came back to win the series that year.  

When Inglis debuted, Cobbo, who hails from Cherbourg, was three. As he grew older, Inglis became his idol. Someone he watched in awe and aspired to be like. 

So, when the Maroons great - who played 32 Origin games and captained two of those - joined the squad in camp this week, to say Cobbo was excited would be a huge understatement.

The 19-year-old, who will turn 20 on Sunday before Origin Game I, was thrilled - in his quiet way - to see Inglis when he went to get coffee with Maroons teammate Dane Gagai.

"I was pretty shocked when I first saw him," Cobbo said.

"Me and Gags were going for a coffee and he tagged along. That was pretty exciting for me, getting to meet my idol for the first time. 

"I'm still buzzing. GI has been my idol since I was little... just how he played on the field and the aggression he had. Leading from the front."

Inglis was on hand at the Maroons' opposed session against Ipswich Jets on Thursday and Cobbo said he was taking in everything the great had to say.

"He's been helping me throughout my training and he's been really helpful," Cobbo said.

"He said just to play footy. He's helping me with the little stuff, but he said just to play footy. Just to enjoy it."

Inglis said he had every confidence in Cobbo and the Maroons to come out firing against New South Wales on Wednesday.

"He's just a quiet kid... well respected and he respects people around him," Inglis said.

"It has all come so fast for him but he's just taking it in his stride. Taking his own time. He just needs to play his football. That's why he is here... his natural ability.

"Having Bill (Slater) and the other guys around him, three of the best statesmen that we've got in Cam (Smith), Bill, JT and obviously Josh Hannay has been here before, so got a good mixture of leaders around him. Not to mention the others who are in the camp with him. Players that have been there, who can guide him through.

"I'm just reassuring him that he should just play his football. He's going to be tired in the first eight minutes because it's Origin footy, but he's got a person who will be playing his 20th Origin game, getting the FOGS Dick 'Tosser' Turner Medal in Gags, on the field with him."

Inglis' simple message to Cobbo?

"Take it in your stride and rip in. Represent your family and state well."