NRL 2023: Manly Sea Eagles to send Tom Trbojevic to USA to visit Bill Knowles, fix hamstrings

As Tom Trbojevic prepares to visit rehab guru Bill Knowles in the USA, read how the Sea Eagles secured the trip and what it will entail.

The Sea Eagles will send Tom Trbojevic to the United States to visit reconditioning specialist Bill Knowles.

Manly superstar Tom Trbojevic will follow the lead of fellow NRL champion Latrell Mitchell by flying to America to receive revolutionary treatment on his troublesome hamstring issues.

Mitchell jetted into Philadelphia during early May to visit American rehabilitation guru Bill Knowles and returned a fortnight later with a cured hamstring.

Knowles will now work on Trbojevic over a two-week, 20 session treatment, expected to start sometime after Christmas.

Trbojevic injured his hamstring for a sixth time during a training session last week. It prompted The Daily Telegraph to carry a story urging Manly to send Trbojevic to the US.

The Sea Eagles will send Tom Trbojevic to the United States to visit reconditioning specialist Bill Knowles.

“We obviously saw what it did for Latrell so on the back of that, it’s a great opportunity for me to go over there and look at a few new ideas and pick some things out that I can bring back here,” Trbojevic said.

“I am very grateful. Hopefully I can have a really good 2023.”

Fit and healthy, Mitchell returned to help drive Souths into a preliminary final before inspiring Australia to a World Cup triumph.

“I am pleased to announce that we will be sending Tom over to the States, Philadelphia specifically, to work with one of the world’s best reconditioning specialists in Bill Knowles,” said Manly coach Anthony Seibold.

“Bill has worked with Latrell Mitchell in the past, among other athletes, so it’s a great opportunity for Tom to go over there and spend two weeks and 20 sessions working on reconditioning his body, specifically his hamstring.

“We thought as a club we wanted to provide the best service to Tom and we thought Bill Knowles was the person we would turn to.”

Latrell Mitchell visited Knowles in the US in 2022, and came back to the NRL firing. Picture: Sunny Brar/South Sydney Rabbitohs

Manly CEO Tony Mestrov managed to secure a sponsor to pay for Trbojevic’s journey.

“It was an absolute no-brainer,” said Mestrov.

“Everyone wants to see him on the field in rugby league and it also provided a sponsorship opportunity and we can announce that Shaw and Partners will be our sponsor for the trip to support Tom.

“We will also send a video person. We look forward to sending Tom and seeing how he goes over in America.”

Trbojevic was set to miss six to eight weeks of summer training after sustaining a grade two partial hamstring tear.

At this point, Trbojevic won’t return to training until mid-February ahead of a round one game against Canterbury on March 4 at Brookvale.

It is unlikely Trbojevic would be risked in a trial match.

Trbojevic is unlikely to play any trial matches for Manly but could be good to go for Round 1. Picture: Getty Images.

All that could change though if Knowles can push Trbojevic back to his damaging finest.

After hearing about Trbojevic’s unfortunate injury setback, South Sydney CEO Blake Solly – on the back of Mitchell’s success in America – urged Manly to fly their star fullback to the United States.

“Tom, a little bit like Latrell, is one of the players that fans want to watch every week,” Solly said last week.

“Our view is that with those star players, whatever you co do to get them on the field, you have to investigate it to its fullest. Our experience with Bill Knowles was top class.”