Weekend Read: Why Jake Trbojevic should be an automatic pick for the NSW Blues

A State of Origin player needs heart, loyalty and passion. That’s why Jake Trbojevic should be the first-picked for NSW, writes BRENT READ.

As a rabid Queenslander, with maroon blood coursing through the veins, this columnist is not in the habit of providing advice to NSW.

But you know what? I’m feeling tad generous this week.

Reckon the Blues might need a smidgen of help so here’s a bit of free advice for coach Laurie Daley, his adviser Craig Bellamy and my old mate Frank Ponissi, who is part of the Blues’ brain’s trust as their head of high performance.

Listen up, fellas.

Drop Jake Trbojevic at your own peril. Dispense with your skipper and wear the consequences. Trbojevic led the Blues with distinction and honour last season.

There are few more inspirational figures in the game.

With Jake, what you get is what you see.

He wears his heart on his sleeve and the sky blue sleeve means a truckload to him. He showed as much last year when he quietly went about his business and never complained despite his lack of minutes.

State of Origin isn’t always about form. It’s not necessarily about who is cutting a swath through the NRL. It’s just as much about loyalty and passion.

Where Trbojevic is concerned, you can’t fault him in either department.

Manly Sea Eagles forward Jake Trbojevic. Art: Scott 'Boo' Bailey

He may be the most loyal footballer in the game. Think back to when Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans made his decision to leave the Sea Eagles at the end of the season.

Jake was asked whether he would ever contemplate playing against Manly. His response was an emphatic no. Didn’t hesitate. Just won’t happen.

He has the same passion for the Blues, having pulled on the jersey 19 times. It’s no coincidence that the Blues have won 11 of those games.

Two of those were last year when Jake was wearing the captain’s armband. He played 29 minutes in Origin I and then 33 minutes in game two.

In the decider, he eked our 23 minutes as the Blues clinched the series.

It wasn’t about the minutes on the field though. Ask Michael Maguire, who led the Blues to victory in last year’s series.

Asked after NSW secured the series, Maguire said of Trbojevic: “People probably ask – I had a lot of you guys actually ask – about Jake being captain.

“It’s the glue, it’s the special parts in and around the team that people don’t get to see.

“I wanted Jake as our captain because of his character, the players love him – they just had another special moment in there where they all cheered him.

“I felt Jake was the man that I wanted to run the team, so it was nice to see.”

The Blues are looking to go back-to-back. Picture: NRL Photos

If the Blues brain’s trust can’t be bothered listening to me, maybe they should take some advice from the bloke who coached NSW to victory in last year’s series.

Maguire knows a thing or two about what it takes to win in Origin. He only coached one series but he walked away a winner. He knows better than anyone that to do that, you need blokes like Jake Trbojevic.

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*****

You may not know Joel Carbone – and he no doubt likes it that way – but it’s time to give him some credit. A dollop of praise.

Carbone is the man who has helped Ricky Stuart and the Canberra Raiders piece together a roster that is doing a pretty good impersonation of premiership contenders through nine rounds of the season.

The Raiders have been on fire and on Saturday afternoon, they get the chance to show again why their odds are shortening by the day against the league-leading Bulldogs.

The game is a sellout and Stuart will have them ready to go. Somewhere in GIO Stadium, Carbone will be nervously watching on, no doubt like a proud parent.

The Raiders are flying high. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

Success has many fathers and while Stuart deserves plenty of plaudits for the way his side is playing, he isn’t the only one who should be given a pat on the back.

Chief executive Don Furner has presided over one of the most stable clubs in the league for as long as anyone can remember.

Furner is unflappable and principled, and his club is a mirror image.

The Raiders don’t go hunting back pages. They prefer to go quietly about their business. A business that has been flying in 2025.

But back to Carbone, a former analyst and assistant coach who was recommended to the club by Fox Sports managing director Steve Crawley and stepped into big shoes when he took over the recruitment at Canberra.

Peter Mulholland was a legend in the world of rugby league scouting.

Carbone spent time working alongside him and when he sadly passed, the Raiders eventually found their way to Carbone.

On the evidence thus far, he has done a remarkable job.

Consider Kaeo Weekes, who has been flying at fullback for the Raiders.

Canberra Raiders CEO Don Furner with coach Ricky Stuart. Picture: Nikki Short

Weekes was a schoolboy prodigy who was a target for rugby league and rugby union but he was in limbo at Manly.

He was stuck behind Tom Trbojevic for the No.1 jersey – and Luke Brooks and Daly Cherry-Evans in the halves. Weekes was looking for an opportunity and he found one when he sat down with his manager Daniel O’Loughlin to talk to Carbone about a move to Canberra.

Carbone came prepared.

He had cut up plenty of video footage to analyse with Weekes. Weekes walked away from the meeting and told O’Loughlin he had never looked at footy like that.

He then went home, spoke to his mum, dad and partner – Australian Rugby Sevens gun Madison Ashby – and made the decision to drive to Canberra for more meetings.

This time it was with Stuart.

Weekes told Stuart he just wanted an opportunity. Stuart told Weekes that he wasn’t bringing him to Canberra for an opportunity, he was buying him to play.

Play he has.

Even when Weekes had a few issues under the high ball earlier this year, Stuart stuck solid. He got his reward last weekend at Magic Round when Weekes made the big play of the game, sending the match into golden point with a solo stunner as the clock wound down.

When Jamal Fogarty eventually ended the contest, a drenched Stuart punched the air and jumped up and down on the sideline. Furner wore a satisfied smirk smile somewhere up in the stands. As for Carbone, he no doubt wore the broadest grin of all.

Originally published as Weekend Read: Why Jake Trbojevic should be an automatic pick for the NSW Blues