Queensland selector Darren Lockyer has revealed Selwyn Cobbo told Maroons coach Billy Slater he wasn’t up to playing in Origin II next week.

Cobbo’s demotion from the team that won the opening game raised plenty of eyebrows with pundits questioning the Queensland “pick and stick” philosphy.

“Selwyn is not quite 100 per cent at the moment,” Slater said earlier this week

“Selwyn has only just turned 22 and sometimes we forget that these guys are still young men developing physically, they’re still developing their game and they’re still building that consistency in their game.

“Everyone is different, it’s not one size fits all and I just felt that this was the right thing for Selwyn, to have a break.

“I felt this was the best thing for him and for the team.”

More has come to light with Lockyer telling News Corp on Wednesday that Cobbo confessed to Slater he was not ready after playing through pain killing injections recently.

Since performing strongly in the opening Origin game, Cobbo has had two below-par games for the Broncos.

“The decision in the end was pretty easy for Bill,” said Lockyer.

“I congratulate Selwyn for being open and honest about it.

“He is carrying a few niggles at the moment and it’s affecting him mentally.

“He was pretty open and honest with Bill about whether he was capable of performing in that arena.

“There is nowhere to hide in Origin.

“I think he is young, and I think his time (in the Origin arena), it’s not like it’s over.

“He will be back in the Maroons jersey at some point, but now is not the right time to push him physically and mentally given that we are one-up in the series.

“That’s a luxury Bill has got.

“It’s a big decision (to omit Cobbo for Origin II) but at the same time it’s the right one.”

Maroons legend Wally Lewis said it was the right call to withdraw if not at 100 percent.

“Players sometimes tell a fib to their teammates as well as the doctor to get themselves through a game like that,” Lewis told Channel 9’s Origin podcast.

“It really could be an expensive (decision) and you have to question if they will be considered for the next match should they not be at their best.

“It’s a pretty tough call, but honesty is the best policy for an Origin match.

“Plenty of players get needled up and think, ‘You beauty, I can get onto the field’, but you always have in the back of your mind that bit of doubt … ‘Am I OK, should I have done it?’

“If you pull out, you are doing the best thing for yourself, your teammates and your state.”