Josiah Karapani has followed suit, going from a Queensland Cup regular to unseating former Maroons star Selwyn Cobbo.

Cobbo will return for the first time since round 13 at fullback in place of Maroons 18th man Reece Walsh, while Deine Mariner replaces Shibasaki in the centres.

Karapani, who has scored five tries in his three games since replacing Cobbo, said Shibasaki’s journey from reserve-grade slugger to the Origin furnace – while still on a development deal – had served as an inspiration to him.

“I just wanted to be ready because you never know what can happen. You have to be ready for that next step and once the opportunity comes, you have to take it,” Karapani said.

“With Shibba, far out, he has done so much for the team. There would be people unsure of what our coach was doing adding him to the team.

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“I said to him after the game [against the Warriors] ‘you will probably have a crack with the Maroons’, and he was like ‘nah, doubting it’, but the fact he is playing now is great.”

While Karapani has secured a two-year deal at the Broncos, with Cobbo departing for the Dolphins in 2026, Gosiewski is still waiting to determine his future.

The 31-year-old joins fellow forwards Fletcher Baker, Jaiyden Hunt, Corey Jensen and Kobe Hetherington as yet to secure deals beyond 2025, with Brisbane bracing for a potential squad facelift.

Gosiewski desires to remain in Brisbane, after he and his partner opened Chargrill Charlie’s chicken shop in New Farm.

“The plan is to stay here. We put that on hold while I was injured ... I am sure those conversations will start to come now,” Gosiewski said ahead of Friday’s clash with the Bulldogs.

“I have come back, and we are winning again, which is good. I can’t say it is anything I have done, but it is good to be in the right moments.

“I am just enjoying my football and doing my role as best I can.”

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