‘The Trbojevics will be there forever’: Brad Fittler’s advice to Manly after coaching drama

Brad Fittler is confident the Trbojevic brothers will stay loyal to Manly, but he says there are “concerns” that the club needs to address.

NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler says “it’d take an awful lot” for the Trbojevic brothers to leave the Sea Eagles but warned the club needs to start communicating things better in the wake of Des Hasler’s departure.

The club legend was sacked as coach on Thursday and it’s led to reports Tom and Jake Trbojevic are unsettled and want to meet club management to discuss what’s going on up north.

The brothers are contracted until the end of the 2026 season and are the heart and soul of the club, but the constant instability and infighting won’t help after Manly’s tumultuous end to the season caused by the rainbow jersey fiasco.

The Trbojevic brothers Tom, Ben, Luke and Jake celebrate a win at 4 Pines Park. Picture; Mark Evans/Getty Images

“I think Brookvale has thrived on instability, but I don’t think it’s ever gone this close into the actual (playing) group, so it’s a little bit different to what they’re used to,” Fittler said on the Today show.

“It’d take an awful lot for Tom and Jake to leave Manly.

“At the moment I know there are some threats out there and there are some concerns, but they’re so passionate – not just about playing for Manly – but the area itself.

“Manly need to sit down and get organised and communicate better and start working from the ground up in the area. If you do that, then the Trbojevics will be there forever.”

The front office turmoil started the moment Hasler called out upper management for the way it handled the jersey situation after which the Sea Eagles lost their final seven matches to miss out on the finals.

The coach’s position became untenable in recent days, leading to the club’s decision on Thursday.

Fittler wasn’t shocked by the decision and said it made sense to move on from Hasler based on on-field results.

The jersey that divided the Sea Eagles in two. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone,” he said, categorically denying he was ever in the running for the Sea Eagles job.

“If anything, they’re out of disarray and they seem to have direction at the moment.

“It goes all the way back to the rainbow jersey, and what it shows is that there were fractures all over the place. You can see that a footy jersey pretty much destroyed their season and cost the coach his job.

“It’s hard to understand the intricacies of what’s going on behind the scenes. That’s the job of the coach.

“If you don’t win games then it’ll cost you your job. They were in a position to make semi-finals, they didn’t, and that’s what happens when you’re coaching at the moment.”