‘Can’t pick him’: Tom Trbojevic horror show highlights glaring NSW Blues selection reality

NSW Blues coach Laurie Daley is undoubtedly surprised by the state of Tom Trbojevic as the decision he must make becomes clear.

Tom Trbojevic was understood to be the favourite to land the Blues right wing spot for State of Origin Game 1 ahead of this weekend’s matches, but in just 24 hours NSW coach Laurie Daley has surely changed his mind.

On Friday night, Zac Lomax terrorised the Knights scoring two tries as he ran rampant against Adam O’Brien’s men.

His strong runs and kick-chases caused Newcastle all sorts of problems and he finished the game with 259 metres in his first game since breaking a bone in his foot on April 5.

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After starring for the Blues last year, Lomax was seemingly in a battle with Trbojevic for the wing spot, with Brian To’o all but certain to be the other winger.

Trbojevic missed three games with a knee injury in round eight, coming back in round eight against the Panthers, but since then he has looked a long way off his best.

Last weekend he was ineffectual and didn’t make a single tackle break.

But somehow despite Manly running out 24-6 winners over the Cowboys on Saturday, Trbojevic put in one of the worst games of his career.

Not only did the fullback drop the ball with the line wide open with the score 12-6 in the second half but his knee continued to cause him problems.

His runs lacked any sort of venom and his game was riddled with errors.

In the end, his game was fittingly brought to an end by being sin-binned for lying all over a Cowboys player trying to get up in the final seconds, bringing to a close what can only be described as a Turbo horror show.

Tom Trbojevic looked a shell of himself again on Saturday. Image: Getty

While the star fullback tried throughout, his body ultimately was holding him back.

“Tom is trying his best. His head is willing but his body is not supporting him 100 per cent,” Andrew Voss said at one stage in Fox Sports commentary.

“The effort, the touches they’re there but the body isn’t.”

It was a performance that showed Trbojevic is simply not fit enough to play on the Origin stage as it stands as NRL fans called for him to be left out.

“You cannot pick Trbojevic for Origin,” one fan wrote online.

“Tom Trbojevic is so busted he is the 4th best fullback in Manly’s starting 13,” another added.

“No Trbojevic should be near a Blues jersey this year,” a third chimed in.

The comments come after Phil Gould said the fullback’s round 10 performance would have “rocked” Blues coach Daley.

“I think the performance on the weekend rocked the coach (Daley) a little bit,” he said on Wide World of Sports’ Six Tackles with Gus.

“I think the coach had him pencilled in to play on the wing, which I disagree with; I don’t think Tom should be playing on the wing.

Zac Lomax starred against the Knights on Friday night. (Photo by Scott Gardiner/Getty Images)

“People say he’s a great player, he can play anywhere. Yeah, but wing’s a big position, particularly at that level if you’re not doing it week in, week out.

“I’d rather go with a specialist … they’ve certainly got specialist options available.

“I think Tom’s physical appearance on the weekend rocked the coach.

“I think Tom would have to do something extraordinary this week to give the coach confidence to go down that line. I’ve got no doubt Laurie Daley had him pencilled in as one of the wingers.”

Originally published as ‘Can’t pick him’: Tom Trbojevic horror show highlights glaring NSW Blues selection reality