Tom and Jake Trbojevic to be second brothers to play alongside each other for Kangaroos in 20 years
THIS time there is no muscle tear or fractured cheekbone to keep them apart, and Tom and Jake Trbojevic will become just the second set of brothers to play alongside each other for Australia in 20 years.
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JAKE and Tom Trbojevic will become just the second set of brothers to play alongside each other for Australia in 20 years when they take to the field against New Zealand on Saturday night.
An injury to Jake during last year’s World Cup robbed them of a chance to feature together, and a fractured cheekbone to Tom almost cruelled their chances this time around.
But nothing will stop the pair from lining up together in Auckland.
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“It’s exciting,” Jake said.
“I love playing together at Manly and then to play Origin was pretty special. Now to play for the Kangaroos — the pinnacle of Australian rugby league — is pretty cool.
“Mum and dad will come over for the game against New Zealand.
“It was really disappointing (to get injured last year). To get picked in the World Cup squad was exciting and to have played with each other for Australia would’ve been awesome. To get injured it hurt especially being the first game and missing out the whole tournament. To be back with Tom is awesome.”
The Morris twins played the last of their four Tests alongside each other in 2014. Before that Darren and Jason Smith featured for Australia in 1998-1999 in six games. Manly players Glenn and Brett Stewart played for Australia but at different times, as have current Kangaroo Felise Kaufusi and his brother Antonio.
The two-year gap between the Trbojevics meant they had not played together at any level until a first-grade trial in 2015 against Wyong in Gosford.
“We might have been on together for 10 minutes but we don’t really count it,” Jake said. “The first game was his debut against Canberra in Albury. Bloody oath I remember it. It was cool. I get nervous as it is but with my brother debuting, I was so nervous. Tom had a blinder. He was only 18.
“He was out on the wing so I don’t know how much protecting he can do. There is a little bit of big brother in it.
“We always wanted to play NRL together. That’s the one thing we always spoke about. To get to play the Kangaroos together is really exciting.”
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Originally published as Tom and Jake Trbojevic to be second brothers to play alongside each other for Kangaroos in 20 years
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