Relief for Manly as Trbojevic cleared of serious injury

Scott Bailey and George Clarke | April 24, 2023

Manly’s Tom Trbojevic has been cleared of serious injury as the Sea Eagles declared they can “win ugly” while having a new-found attitude to cover for their superstar fullback if necessary.

Trbojevic could be fit for Saturday’s encounter with the Gold Coast, after picking up an adductor injury late in Sunday’s 22-16 win over Wests Tigers.

The Sea Eagles say Trbojevic will undergo a fitness test later in the week before making a call as to whether their No.1 would line up against the Titans. 

Even if Manly coach Anthony Seibold opts to take a cautious approach with Trbojevic, the Sea Eagles say their season won’t be defined by the fullback’s fitness.

“We dealt with a lot of adversity, and that is part of the Manly mentality we have been talking about,” prop Josh Aloiai said.

“One of the things we said when we were down and they scored that late try, we said ‘boys let’s bring it out of the fire here’.

“Perhaps in the past we wouldn’t have got there in the end and found a way to win ugly. An ugly win is better than an ugly loss.”

The Sea Eagles have won just 18 of 53 games without Trbojevic since the start of 2019, compared to 34 of 51 with him.

Manly are also six points better off in attack and eight points better in defence with Trbojevic on the field.

Statistically speaking, that 14-point swing with Trbojevic playing is greater than Andrew Johns’ influence at Newcastle and Johnathan Thurston’s at North Queensland.

Aloiai said seeing Trbojevic limp from the field was concerning given the No.1’s horror run with injuries in the past four years.

Manly players have made a point to grow closer this season off the field, with Trbojevic hosting a lengthy trivia night and putting on a dinner for the team in recent weeks.

“We’re just super-connected here and some of our relationships are really tight,” Aloiai said. 

“So when you see someone get hurt, it hurts a bit. 

“You want that connectivity in the group. We really care about one another and you can see that on the field and what we are building off the field. 

“Regardless of what happens we are going to have each other’s back. And that’s how we are responding to everything this year.”