NRL 2023 news: Sea Eagles face shock call to cut superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic
Manly have been urged to make the “business decision” to release Tom Trbojevic as the superstar fullback fights ongoing hamstring injuries in the USA.
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Manly should make the “business decision” to release Tom Trbojevic if his mercy dash to the US to fix repeated hamstring injuries fails.
That’s the stunning claim from premiership-winning former Sea Eagle Peter Peters after Trbojevic flew out to Philadelphia on Saturday to work with renowned injury rehabilitation specialist Bill Knowles.
Peters fears Trbojevic could be forced into early retirement if he is unable to overcome his injury history, and also believes Manly should hide him in the centres in their NRL season opener against Canterbury to protect the superstar fullback.
Since making his NRL debut in Round 5 in 2015, Trbojevic has played 121 games for the Sea Eagles. However, he’s managed to play 20-plus games in just three of his eight seasons in the top grade.
With Trbojevic, brother Jake and captain Daly Cherry-Evans taking up a quarter of Manly’s total salary cap, Peters said the Sea Eagles potentially had a big decision to make on the 2021 Dally M Medallist.
Asked by Canterbury’s Josh Reynolds on the Big Sports Breakfast Weekend on Sunday whether Manly should consider releasing Trbojevic to a rival club due to his hamstring issues, Peters was unequivocal.
“Yes, if it continues,” Peters said.
“I think it’s a business decision. He may have to take an early retirement if it keeps going.
“He’s played (121) games and he made his debut back in 2015. It’s just not enough games.
“He’s a superstar but it’s like having a Lamborghini full of petrol in the garage, but you can’t drive it because, mechanically, it’s not sound.
“It’s a huge make-or-break for Turbo’s career in the NRL. He’s 26, he’s got so many good years in front of him, if he’s fit.”
Trbojevic will become the third NRL star to seek the help of Knowles, who got South Sydney fullback Latrell Mitchell back on the field last year, and is currently working with the Melbourne Storm’s Ryan Papenhuyzen on his knee as he continues his recovery from a shocking patella fracture.
Trbojevic injured his hamstring in pre-season training prior to Christmas, but is expected to be fit to start the season.
Peters believes playing Trbojevic at fullback and forcing him to cover extra ground to deal with Bulldogs five-eighth Matt Burton’s kicking game is an unnecessary risk to take for Round 1.
“Certainly for game one in 2023 if he’s right, and all indications are that he will be, against the Bulldogs at 4 Pines Park. The towering bombs from Matt Burton are exactly what they don’t need to be under first-up,” Peters said.
“I would be playing Kaeo Weekes or Reuben Garrick in the fullback spot.
“Turbo doesn’t need the first-up test that Burton would bring.
“Weekes, in the final game of 2022, in pouring rain against the Bulldogs, fielded every high kick except one from Matt Burton.
“It was a great exhibition of fullback play. I’d play the kid and put Tommy in the centres.”
INSIDE TURBO’S USA TRIP TO FIX BUSTED HAMMY
— Elliott Stewart
Tom Trbojevic is hopeful he can follow in the footsteps of Latrell Mitchell and return home a “new man” by the time he’s done with American rehabilitation guru Bill Knowles.
Trbojevic will become the third NRL star to seek the league’s new miracle worker, joining Melbourne star Ryan Papenhuyzen, after flying out for Philadelphia on Saturday.
While Papenhuyzen is on the comeback trail from a fractured kneecap, Trbojevic is aiming to finally rid himself of persistent hamstring issues that also plagued Mitchell.
Mitchell – Trbojevic’s NSW State of Origin teammate – set the competition alight following his return from the United States last season.
The Manly star revealed he had sought the advice of Mitchell prior to leaving Sydney.
“I have exchanged a few texts with (Latrell) and you obviously saw what he got out of it last year,” Trbojevic said before jumping on the plane.
“Watching that documentary crew, it sounds like he’s got some really interesting looks on things and I’m excited to learn them.
“You hope to get a lot out of it so you can come back confident in yourself and your body. You move your best and do everything you can to stay on the path and play good footy.”
A fully fit Trbojevic is arguably the best player in the game, demonstrated by his unforgettable individual season in 2021 when he claimed the prestigious Dally M medal.
However the Sea Eagles fullback has suffered five hamstring injuries since 2019, the latest of which occurred in his right leg just before Christmas.
Still, he has refused to be bogged down by his most recent setback, and is intent on finding a long-term solution with the high-profile trainer.
“Unfortunately, it’s part of the game and I’ve dealt with a few of them but I still love playing the game and doing everything to get myself right,” he said.
“I’ve got a lot of confidence and very open-minded to go over there, apply myself the best I can with an open mind and I’ll come home hopefully a new man.”
“Being down is only going to get you so far.
“You evaluate the situation, see where you’re at and now you know you gotta get yourself right. That’s the process I’m at.”
Papenhuyzen is one week into his program with Knowles, which has included half a day of pool work before progressing into the gym.
But Trbojevic is unsure what to expect when he arrives.
“I don’t have too many expectations. Obviously I’ve heard a lot about this guy but not too sure what the training has entailed,” he said.
“We’ve had a zoom call with Bill, (so we) got a little bit of an idea of what he does.
“But as a whole, how training is going to look, I’m not too sure.
“We’re going to go over there and work that out.
“A lot of it is to do with reconditioning body, rewiring it to move better and to maybe put less stress on your hammies and other areas of your body you might be doing.”
Trbojevic is likely to overlap some sessions with the Melbourne star, with the pair both aiming to be available for their respective season-openers in the first week of March.
“I think (Ryan is) staying at the same place. I’m sure if they are there we’ll catch up and get some good insight from him,” he said.
STORM STAR OPENS UP ON MIRACLE WORKER’S SECRETS
— Matt Encarnacion
Ryan Papenhuyzen has given his insight into the league’s new miracle worker that has NRL clubs clamouring to send their injured stars to the United States.
Papenhuyzen has completed his first week under renowned high-performance trainer Bill Knowles as he continues his recovery from a fractured kneecap.
The Melbourne fullback had yet to even begin running since suffering the injury in July.
However the success of South Sydney star Latrell Mitchell since he returned from his time under Knowles last year prompted the Storm to follow suit with their No.1.
Melbourne aren’t the only club to turn to the American physio, with Manly star Tom Trbojevic also set to fly out of Sydney on Saturday for Philadelphia.
Papenhuyzen heralded Knowles’ “lateral” approach to his recovery.
“He’s been around for a while and experienced different sports and different injuries. I think the way he simplifies his rehab is been something that’s really stood out to me,” he said.
“You think it’s going to be really complex, but the way he goes about it is just, ‘All right you’ve got a knee injury, it’s a knee injury. Let’s go from there.’
“If things aren’t working, if I’ve a bit sore in the knee, he’s got a very lateral-thinking mentality and you’ll go down another path.
“He’s always got something on the go and always got something you can try.
“You’ll do something at the start of the session, you can’t do it, (then) we’ll go down a different path. But we’ll revisit it at the end, and I’m actually able to do it.”
Papenhuyzen is one of a number of athletes currently working with Knowles, including ice hockey star Bowen Bryam from the Colorado Avalanche, and gridiron cornerback Emmanual Moseley from the San Francisco 49ers.
“They’re really keen to learn about our sport. I’m really keen to learn about their sport, just going through that whole remodelling of the body and movement again,” he said.
“We’ve all got the same purpose, to get back to our sport and play at a high level. Good to share those moments at the gym a little bit.”
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