By Nick Wright
Tom Trbojevic’s heroics may have guided Australia over the line, but his performance – and that of a Tongan rival – could have raised questions on how to best exploit his talents and keep him on the field at clubland.
The Manly superstar proved the difference as the Kangaroos ran out 18–0 victors against Tonga to open their Pacific Championships account in Brisbane.
His converted intercept try the only points in the opening half before he set about roaming the field.
Just as he did in his historic State of Origin series in 2021, Trbojevic was not satisfied being contained in his right centre role; looping to the left to unleash centre partner Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow for the second try of the night – the latter too fast and strong for Paul Alamoti to handle.
Only desperate Tongan defence denied ‘Tommy Turbo’ from scoring twice more, as he went on to finish with 227 running metres.
“He was really excited about getting picked in the Kangaroos again, he hasn’t been there for a while, and I thought defensively he was really good.”
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga on Tom Trbojevic
While a fit and firing Trbojevic is undoubtedly one of the NRL’s most lethal players at fullback, his chequered injury history has raised serious concern about his longevity in the game over the years.
Hamstring tears, knee, pectoral and ankle concerns, and more recently a shoulder injury have kept the 28-year-old from dominating consistently, with 2024 the first time since 2018 he had managed at least 20 games in a season.
Tom Trbojevic scores for the Kangaroos.Credit: NRL Photos
Given his prowess at centre, suggestions have circulated he could be used there more permanently for the Sea Eagles, and the emergence of Lehi Hopoate could facilitate that.
Hopoate earned his first Tonga appearance in Friday night’s defeat, and the 19-year-old stood up to keep his side in the hunt.
Lehi Hopoate was impressive in his Tonga debut against the Kangaroos.Credit: NRL Photos
Finishing with 166 metres and a linebreak, Hopoate carried on the form of his rookie NRL season in which he scored nine tries from his 14 appearances, while averaging 125 running metres and more than three tackle busts a game.
He came up with a brilliant one-on-one tackle on a runaway Cameron Murray to save what looked a certain try. However, he was ultimately sent to the sin bin for failing to get back onside as he attempted to stop Harry Grant from diving over on the next play.
While Hopoate finished the year on Manly’s wing, his brave efforts – particularly his efforts defusing several Kangaroos’ kicking raids – will not have gone unnoticed by Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold.
“We put him there for a reason - we trusted him - and if you watch him in the NRL he’s one of those guys who just comes up with plays. He plays a lot bigger than he looks, he’s brave every week, and he comes up with big plays every week.”
Tonga coach Kristian Woolf on Lehi Hopoate
New-look halves clunky start
Tom Dearden and Mitchell Moses forged a new-look Kangaroos halves pairing, as incumbents Cameron Munster and Nathan Cleary braced for off season groin and shoulder surgeries respectively.
Mitchell Moses during his Kangaroos debut against Tonga.Credit: NRL Photos
But while the pair were brilliant in this year’s State of Origin series, and for their respective clubs, they never quite clicked into gear in their first outings for Australia.
The Kangaroos attack looked clunky throughout the first half, and even into the second they rarely linked up, only once combining to great effect in the lead up to Tabuai-Fidow’s try.
Moses’ kicking was, while not poor, not as clinical as his efforts for the Blues, while Dearden sent a pass into touch and did not back his trademark running game as frequently until the death, when he bamboozled the defence with a minute remaining to score.
That cohesion was hardly helped by the surrounding men, with the Kangaroos coming up with a whopping 19 errors to Tonga’s nine.
It must be said as well this was their first game together, and they will no doubt be better for the run against New Zealand – particularly Moses, who was playing his first game since round 18 due to a ruptured biceps, and had played just eight NRL games this year.
Tom Dearden scored a strong individual try on his Kangaroos debut against Tonga.Credit: NRL Photos
However, if they are to make life difficult for Cleary and Munster to return to the Test arena next year, they will need to find their mojo quickly.
“That’s to be expected. Mitch hasn’t played for quite a while, Tommy as well. I’m really happy, considering the short preparation period ... we could probably be better with the footy, but we’ve got a few debutants.”
Mal Meninga on the Kangaroos’ halves
Katoa’s tough night out
He may be regarded as the NRL’s leading young halfback, but Isaiya Katoa showed there would still be plenty of work ahead before he becomes the finished product.
And fair enough too, given he is a 20-year-old rookie in just his second season.
A credit to the Dolphins star is that he never stopped trying, it was just one of those nights where his usually trusty kicking game was simply a bit off and a bit heavy.
It was a tough night for Isaiya Katoa for Tonga against the Kangaroos.Credit: NRL Photos
After forcing an early drop out, his work off the boot became a case of so near yet so far - almost pulling off a 40/20 from deep inside his own half, only for the ball to take a luckless bounce and roll dead.
He also sent two kick-offs out on the full, while his 34 tackles were the most he has made in a game during his career.
“That was the difference in the game, when you play Australia they know all those plays – all the repeat sets they got, their kicking game in general they nailed it, and we just didn’t quite get that right,” Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said.
“It didn’t happen for Isaiya, but Isaiya is an outstanding young player and an outstanding young man. He’ll be the hardest marker on himself, and I have no doubt he’ll be better in our next game.”
Australia’s back five thwarts Tongan size
This year’s Origin series was, in part, defined by the Blues’ dominance through the middle, with the size of their pack dwarfing a Maroons outfit missing injured stars Thomas Flegler, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Tom Gilbert.
That narrative threatened to be the case in Brisbane, with the Tongan forwards out muscling Australia by 88kg.
But it was the Kangaroos’ back five who worked overtime to give their forwards a platform to work off.
Trbojevic, Tabuai-Fidow (144m, eight tackle busts), Xavier Coates (246m), Zac Lomax (155m, four tackle busts) and Dylan Edwards (167m) were all tireless coming out of their own end, allowing the men up front to take in some air and get into the grind in strong territory.
“It felt like we asked a lot of our outside backs, although they did a wonderful job. They do it at clubland, that’s obviously their strength, but to do it on the big stage with the Australian jersey, that’s another level.”
Kangaroos captain Isaah Yeo on the back five
Xavier Coates was brilliantly coming out of back field for the Kangaroos against Tonga.Credit: NRL Photos
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