NRL 2022: Manly players laugh off suggestions superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic has been tamed

Want to know why Tom Trbojevic hasn’t been at his best so far? Well, Lachlan Croker is best to explain. ‘We haven’t been good enough for him.’ And the problem starts right from the kickoff.

Tom Trbojevic’s teammates say they have to help the Manly fullback release the shac kles (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

Manly teammates have laughed off suggestions opponents have discovered the antidote to Tom Trbojevic and revealed that coach Des Hasler has challenged his forwards to lift the side and their star fullback out of their early season funk.

Having pieced together one of the greatest seasons in the game’s history last year, Trbojevic has been kept largely in check by Penrith and the Sydney Roosters as the Sea Eagles have struggled over the opening two games of 2022.

There have been suggestions that teams have adjusted to Trbojevic, something his team-mates gave short shrift on Wednesday.

Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free now >

Manly fans haven’t had much to cheer about so far in 2022.

“It is an easy thing to say,” hooker Lachlan Croker said.

“We’re not giving Tom the opportunity to play the footy he was playing last year. It is the cycle that starts with the kickoff from the game.

“We are losing that set and then we’re losing the next set, and then we are too slow. We haven’t been good enough for him.

“We were talking about play the ball speeds this morning. I think we are last (in the NRL).”

On that front, Hasler has challenged Trbojevic’s teammates to step up their games.

“We need to help Tom out,” centre Brad Parker said.

“Tom can’t go anywhere if we are not doing our job. Last year we were helping him out and going forward. He is an unreal player but he needs his team to back him up.

It’s been a frustrating start to the season for Turbo.

“A lot of our attack comes from him but we are not even getting out of our end to help him. We just need to get forward.

“We’re getting hammered on the middle and on the edges. We need to harden up a bit.”

Trbojevic refuses to point the finger at his teammates. He, like everyone else at Manly, acknowledges they will get more positive press once they start to win games.

“When you are going well, everyone wants to tell you, you can’t be stopped,” Trbojevic said.

“When you’re not going well, they tell you everyone has worked you out. It is the good with the bad. We’re not playing well enough as a team to warrant any (positive) attention.

“We have to turn that around and win footy games.”

The Sea Eagles can take solace in the fact they have been down this path before. Twelve months ago, they lost their opening four games but still managed to force their way into the finals.

Tom Trbojevic has had a subdued start to the season.

They get the ideal opportunity to turn things around on Sunday night as they host Canterbury in a game which heralds the Sea Eagles’ return to 4Pines Park.

The finishing touches are being put on club’s Centre of Excellence and new grandstand, both of which will be unveiled on Sunday night.

“The game against the Warriors (last year), when we won that game, it was like we won a semifinal,” Parker said.

“Once we get the ball rolling, it is just going to keep going. You just need to get a start. That is the sad truth really - we have been here before.

“It is frustrating and we know we can get out of it. We know the potential in our team - we saw it last year.”