‘Shattered’: Manly rule Tom Trbojevic out for rest of NRL season after Origin injury

Manly have confirmed the worst possible news for Tom Trbojevic after he suffered a nasty injury in NSW’s State of Origin loss this week.

Tom Trbojevic injured during Game 2 of the State of Origin 2023, Queensland V NSW at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. Pics Adam Head

Manly coach Anthony Seibold says he was “shattered” to see star fullback Tom Trbojevic suffer a season-ending pectoral injury as he confirmed the club will seek salary cap dispensation if a specialist confirms their worst fears.

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Trbojevic suffered a nasty pectoral injury in the opening stages of NSW’s State of Origin Game II loss to Queensland on Wednesday.

In a statement on Friday afternoon, the club confirmed Trbojevic ould miss the remainder of the NRL season and would undergo surgery on his torn pec.

“Manly Warrringah Sea Eagles full-back Tom Trbojevic has today been ruled out of the 2023 Telstra Premiership season,” the statement read.

“The 26-year-old will undergo surgery on Tuesday for a torn pectoral injury after seeing a specialist this morning.”

The club has already filled its top-30 roster spots but can add another player under NRL rules that allow teams to apply for up to $350,000 in cap relief if someone is injured in a rep game and ruled out for at least 12 weeks.

The Sea Eagles can use the likes of Kaeo Weekes, Reuben Garrick or Tolu Koula, but they could look at guys like Daine Laurie or Xavier Savage, who are stuck in reserve grade, or Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, who is heading back to the Warriors next year and is done with his rugby union commitments.

“It’s too early to say we’ve got someone on the horizon,” Seibold said.

“But if it’s confirmed that the surgeon says they’ll operate on Tom, then we’ll look at who’s available and who can fill that position. It’s a like-for-like replacement, and there probably aren’t too many (who are like Trbojevic).

“There are a number of names that we can look at, and I’m sure he (Tuivasa-Sheck) would be one of them. I don’t want to be presumptuous and we want to put the support around Tom.”

Tom Trbojevic is likely out for the season. Picture: Pics Adam Head

Trbojevic went for scans on Thursday after he injured himself just three minutes into Wednesday’s game, but the club won’t make a decision on what to do next until he meets the same specialist who operated on his other pec in 2019.

Seibold says he expects the superstar fullback to have the pec reattached next week. Trbojevic will miss a minimum of 12-16 weeks and Seibold was “shattered” to see the local junior suffer yet another setback to his career.

Manly’s coaching staff watched the game at a foundation dinner with 250 guests in Terrey Hills where Seibold said the only thing he wanted to see in the game was for Trbojevic and skipper Daly Cherry-Evans to get through unscathed.

It was a very sombre mood in the room when Trbojevic hurt himself making a tackle on Reece Walsh, with his season cut short again after having to deal with major hamstring and shoulder concerns in the past.

“Tom will need a bit of support because there’s constant speculation about his health with regards to his injuries,” Seibold said, confirming Jake Trbojevic was at the event when his brother got hurt.

“I don’t think that’s necessarily good for anybody to have to be put under the microscope so much.

Trbojevic’ injury is a big blow to Manly. Picture: Adam Head

“The reality of it with Tom – and I’ve known him for a little while now because I worked with him at the end of 2015 – his character off the field is as good as anyone I‘ve come across in the game.

“He’s got great integrity, his work ethic is second to none and his diligence with his preparation is elite – it’s Olympic athlete level elite. You can’t say that about everyone in the NRL, but you can say that about Tom,” Seibold said.

“It’s unfair that he has to go through what he’s going through, but I know he’ll come out the other side and he’ll go again.”

There is one positive to come out of the Queensland win, with Cherry-Evans set to take on the Storm on Saturday night after recovering from the thrill of another series win.

“I spoke to ‘Chez’ yesterday,” his coach said.

“Of course he’s up and about after a big Queensland win. He’ll fly to Melbourne and won’t train this morning. He’ll fly directly from Brisbane and meet us there.

“He can’t wait to get back with the group. This is where he’s at with his career that he just puts his hand up straight away to the play after a really big performance and I’m sure they had a big celebration as well.

“I reckon that says what sort of leader he is.”