Manly name captain for post Cherry-Evans era
Jasper Bruce |
Tom Trbojevic has been identified as the man to captain Manly into their post Daly Cherry-Evans era.
Trbojevic was appointed to the vacancy on returning for pre-season on Monday, a month after signing a contract extension that quashed speculation over his future.
The 29-year-old has been stand-in captain twice before, once each in 2024 and 2025, and beat brother and former NSW skipper Jake to the permanent role.
“Tom leads through his actions on and off the field,” said coach Anthony Seibold.
“I know he’ll do a great job as captain.”
Softly-spoken Trbojevic becomes only Manly’s second full-time captain since the start of the 2017 season, when departing halfback Cherry-Evans first took on the role.
He is tasked with rousing the Sea Eagles into a new era following the exit of Sydney Roosters recruit Cherry-Evans, their long-time on-field general and most-capped player of all time.
Manly endured a mixed 2025 season that was overshadowed by speculation about Cherry-Evans’ departure and ended in a 10th-placed finish.
Cherry-Evans’ replacement, ex-Canberra veteran Jamal Fogarty, arrived at Brookvale Oval on Monday for his first day of training.
Injury-stricken Trbojevic will hope a full pre-season can translate into his first campaign of playing more than 20 games since 2018.
“The next few months of pre-season will be tough but it’s an exciting time for all of us as we prepare for the new season,” he said.
Elsewhere, South Sydney have held off the threat of breakaway rugby competition R360 and extended Jye Gray’s contract through 2029.
The 21-year-old fullback had a breakout season in 2025, leading the Dally M Medal count early in the campaign, and could keep Latrell Mitchell in the centres this pre-season.
Gray had already been contracted for 2026 and looms as crucial to the Rabbitohs’ hopes of improving on this year’s disappointing 14th-placed finish.
“I’m determined to repay the faith they (Souths) have shown in me by putting my best foot forward over the next few years to help us achieve our goals,” he said.
AAP
