Jake Trbojevic’s cousin Mikaela Trbojevich taking on men to toughen up

Too small for Rugby Sevens, this footballer with a famous surname is finding she’s now the right fit on a different field of play - with help from men almost twice her size

Waratahs player Miki Trbojevich in the Chikarovski Cup. Pic: Karen Watson.

She trains alongside men, urging them not to give her an inch.

And Mikaela ‘Miki’ Trbojevich said the approach is helping transform her into the footballer she wants to be.

Her cousin Jake is a renown tough guy of NRL and Trbojevich, who spells her name with an h on the end, wants the same reputation.

It’s why she has asked her cousin for help in the past and why she lines up against local male rugby players regularly.

Manly Sea Eagles player Jake Trbojevic and his cousin Mikaela Trbojevich after she made the Waratahs squad for the first time.

“I go down with the boys and get help from my dad. My main concern for this season is to get my scrimmage down pat,’’ said Trbojevich, whose father Ryan coaches at the Manly Marlins rugby club.

“I’ve been doing some drills with the Manly guys as well.

“I started doing it when I was 17. They struggled more than me. I’d say ‘hit me, it’s OK’.

If I am getting better I have to doing this. Getting tougher.

“I am where I am now because I have been chucked in the deep end.

“I would do front row, crouch and engage, learning how to use my weight correctly. Getting my head wrapped around getting lower and driving up.’’

Sporting cousins from NRL and rugby.

Curl Curl based Trbojevich, who lived in the UK with her mother until returning to Australia in 2016, said Jake has also been an enormous support.

“Jake really helped me with tackling drills,’’ she said.

While she loves Sevens, and plays the game with Southern Districts, the teenager said XVs rugby appears to be a better fit.

“I’m small and chunky but I have speed when it is needed. But I’m not fast enough for Sevens,’’ said the banking consultant at the ANZ at Mona Vale who plays her XVs with Eastern Suburbs rugby.

“I’m playing as a front rower in 15s so I now need to bulk up for rugby or slim down for sevens. I have to make the decision this season. But I want to be in the Wallaroos looking ahead.’’

Sera Naiqama (right) of the Waratahs looks on in a scrum during the Super W rugby match against the Melbourne Rebels last season.

Trbojevich is part of the recently named Waratahs development squad, a pathway for young and up-and-coming players, and overseen by coach Campbell Aiken.

The traditional Super W competition will be run as a one-off tournament this year. Until then players will compete in the Jack Scott Cup from April.

The NSW Wallaroos contingent have not been included in the training squad.

NSW Waratahs Women Development Training Group 2021: Aaliyah Fa’amausili, Randwick, Anita Faimasui Brown, Easts, Aroha Spillane, Easts, Ashlee Makim, Campbelltown, Brianna Hoy, Sydney Uni, Bridie O’Gorman, Sydney Uni, Cassey Tohi-Hiku, Randwick, Claudia Nielsen, Tamworth, Ella Goldsmith, Easts, Faliki Pohiva, Randwick, Jasmin Huriwai, Two Blues, Katalina Amosa, Souths, Mareva Swann, Easts, Margot Vella, Warringah, Melissa Fatu, Campbelltown, Mikaela Trbojevich, Easts, Moniqca Mo’ale, Randwick, Nicole Nathan, Easts, Noella Green, Sydney Uni, Paris Ingegneri, Warringah, Penelope Leiataua, Sydney Uni, Ryshe Fa’amausili, Randwick, Sabine Blakeman, Warringah, Seli Mailangi, Randwick, Shenay Ball, Central Coast, Skye Churchill, Easts, Sophie Clancy, Hunter, Tia Hinds, Randwick, Tylah Vallance, Sydney Uni.

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