NRL 2024: Tom, Jake and Ben Trbojevic open up on childhood, rugby league journey, Manly finals hopes
Three champion rugby league brothers and teammates open up on childhood memories and taunt each other with their honest brutality. Raw and unfiltered, this is the Trbojevic brothers like you’ve never seen before.
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Ben Trbojevic has the unique ability to do what no other player in the NRL has been able to achieve — get under the skin of his brother, Jake.
“Jake used to blow up at Ben all the time,” reveals the third brother, Tom. “He was the grumpiest. Ben was a smart arse. I had to step in to keep the peace.”
This is the Trbojevic brothers like you’ve never seen before.
Raw and unfiltered – three champion rugby league brothers and teammates, sitting inside Manly’s Centre of Excellence, sharing childhood memories and taunting each other with hilarious and honest brutality.
Dishing the dirt on who was the dirtiest, the grumpiest, the favourite son, the worst driver and which of the brothers has obsessive-compulsive disorder.
As for who is the biggest smart arse? For Jake and Tom, there is only one answer.
“Ben’s better now, but he was a smart arse,” Jake says.
“When he was at school I wanted to kill him. Tom and I were goodie-two-shoes.”
Whether it was Ben constantly baiting Jake in their Mona Vale family home by deliberately flooding the bathroom before Jake walked in, or kicking his oldest brother into a rancid pond on a golf course when he was trying to retrieve a ball, he had Jake’s measure.
Now, with Jake, 30, returning to Manly after captaining NSW to State of Origin glory, Tom, 27, back at full fitness and Ben, 23, having nailed down a first-grade spot, the brothers are using their unique bond to drive Manly to their first NRL finals appearance since 2021.
EARLY BEGINNINGS
Jake, Tom and Ben are the First Family of Manly.
The three, along with their other brother, Luke, grew up in a warm and loving home at Mona Vale with mother Melissa and father John, who taught their boys strict manners and respect.
“I was probably the favourite child when we were growing up,” Tom says.
“Mum wouldn’t say it, but I was very easygoing.”
Jake agrees, but points to extenuating circumstances.
“I’m an overthinker and things stress me out. I’m a worrier,” Jake says.
“Ben and I have anxiety, but Tom was always good at s..t, you know what I mean? Mum and dad had to work harder for me.
“Even now, you might need something done with, say, a tax return and Tom will just do it. We might have a whinge, but Tom just got it right.”
That plays into Tom’s personality — he can be meticulous.
“If mum needs something done, she’s not going to Jake and Ben. She’s coming to me. She knows I will get it done,” Tom says.
“I remember mum would ask us to do jobs and one was to hang the washing on the line. When Jake and I did it, we did it properly. One day she asked Ben to do it and he got all the clothes and just threw them onto the clothesline.
“Next time, he did the same thing.
“And then, all of a sudden, he wasn’t asked to hang out the washing again.”
Unable to help himself from taking another shot at his brother, Ben says: “Work smarter, not harder. Tom’s a bit of a nerd.”
It might be why the Manly No.1 always responds to phone calls and text messages from his parents, where Jake and Ben rarely answer their phones.
This week, Jake has 78 unread messages while Ben has a staggering 300 that he may, or may not, get around to checking.
“It stresses me out,” Tom says.
When Tom was in Year 12 in the Pittwater High class of 2014, he finished his HSC with an ATAR of 94.3, while also starring for Manly’s Holden Cup team, where he was named player of the year for the national under-20s competition.
“I used to be scared to get into trouble. I don’t know whether you were the same, Jake? Ben wouldn’t have worked as hard at school as we did,” Tom says.
Said Ben: “Nah, I didn’t really try.”
TURBO BATHROOM WARS
Ben and Jake had adjoining bedrooms growing up, with Tom down the other end of the family home.
“Jake and Ben are now best mates, but they had bedrooms next to each other. They have the same personalities so they used to clash,” Tom says.
“The funniest time was when Jake and Ben shared a bathroom. Every time Ben would come out, the whole bathroom floor would be flooded, and I’m telling you … flooded.”
Like clockwork, Jake would react.
“I’m talking so much water, Everywhere,” he says.
“You know when you get out of the shower, water goes on the floor. Who cares? But I’m convinced he turned the nozzle towards the floor. It used to do my head in.
“Ben would get an easy reaction out of me.”
Ben shrugged it off.
“It used to piss Jake off. It was just bad drainage,” Ben says.
GOLF PRANK
Ben’s most successful prank came on Christmas Day, 2017, at Mona Vale Golf Club where, at the urging of Tom, who was filming on his phone, he sent Jake tumbling into one of the water hazards while trying to retrieve a Titleist he lent his youngest brother.
“Ben kicking Jake into the lake was funny,” Tom says.
“I will set the scene.
“We’re playing at Mona Vale. You’re hitting over a little pond on the 12th hole.
“Ben lost a ball on the previous hole so he asked Jake for a ball and Jake only had Pro Vs.
“The ball goes in the water and Jake tells Ben to get it.
“Ben refuses, saying it’s only a golf ball.”
Jake interrupts: “Any golfer out there will know. You don’t give up on a Pro V you can get back.”
While scooping the ball out, Tom can be heard quietly saying “Go Ben, go”, and he kicks Jake in the backside and sends him tumbling in.
Jake was filthy.
“Literally,” Jake says. “It was disgusting. Golf ponds stink like sewage. My whole Christmas Day was ruined. I couldn’t get it off. I had to have about 50 showers.
“This was in Ben’s prime for being a smart arse.”
Jake was forced to walk to nearby Mona Vale beach for a clean-up swim.
“Now Ben and Jake are literally inseparable,” Tom says.
“It’s funny how the world works.”
UNBROKEN BONDS
While Tom now lives in Warriewood, Jake has moved to Narrabeen with his fiance, Alix Waddell, the sister of Manly teammate Corey.
Ben, despite signing a three-year extension with the Sea Eagles in February, still lives at home, where he’s on a $500-a-week allowance from mum, Melissa, because he’s a spendthrift.
The three brothers often socialise, generally around food and coffee.
“We love food. On days off, we love to have brekky,” Ben says.
They’re seen at either Sunrise Café and Eleven 11 cafe at Warriewood or Livoti’s Italian Restaurant at Dee Why.
“Our football schedules are the same so on a day off, with our mates and other brother Luke working, we hang out with each other,” Tom says.
DRIVING EACH OTHER MAD
Though their living arrangements have changed, their relationship hasn’t. With each of the brothers finding ways to annoy the hell out of each other.
“He’s a terrible driver,” Ben says of Tom.
“He gets into this state when driving where everything is irrelevant. We could be going to Brookvale but could end up at bloody North Head before he realises.”
Almost unthinkable for someone who studied economics and finance at Macquarie University.
“When I get in the car and drive I just zone out. I do it all the time,” Tom says.
“I used to do it when I went to uni. I’d get halfway and think, ‘S..t, I’ve gone the wrong way’. That’s me.”
The brothers living apart has created new issues. Namely, Ben being excessively early for pick-ups, which they put down to obsessive-compulsive disorder.
“They are ridiculously early, but I have come to terms with that,” Tom says.
“Say we’re going to the game and Ben will meet at my place at say 4pm. Ben won’t be there at ten-to-four, he’s there at 3.15pm.”
Jake: “OCD. Now I tell Ben a later time knowing he’s coming early.”
They also take issue with the state of Ben’s Mitsubishi Lancer, which Jake describes as “undriveable” and something “you can’t even sit in”.
“Over-reaction,” Ben says.
“But I do need a new car. I’m trying to make it messy so I can get a new car.”
NRL STAR ON $500 ALLOWANCE
Why would an NRL player signed to a long-term deal be unable to buy himself a new car?
“Mum won’t give him the money,” Tom says.
Ben receives a $500-a-week allowance from his parents, which is already paying dividends as the strict saving has already secured him an investment property.
“Seriously, he would have spent all of his money. If it wasn’t for mum, Ben wouldn’t have any money,” Jake says.
“Money is just a number on a screen for Ben. It’s got no value.
“But thanks to mum, she has helped him save.”
Ben argues: “Mum is giving me more access. But if I get more, who knows, I’ll probably go to the casino and put it all on red.”
Instead, the Trbojevics’ chips are all in on a Sea Eagles premiership.
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