Tom Trbojevic will be sidelined for up to eight weeks with his latest hamstring injury, but new Manly coach Anthony Seibold delivered the words every Sea Eagles supporter – and the NRL – wanted to hear: “We expect Tom to be fit to play round one.”
Scans on Thursday confirmed Trbojevic had suffered a grade-two hamstring strain after he pulled up short while completing a training drill on Tuesday.
Seibold, just three weeks into the top job on the northern beaches, said there would be no doubts about the star No. 1 being fit for the opening round against Canterbury.
The external debate about shifting Trbojevic away from fullback and into the centres in a bid to lighten the workload on his suspect hamstrings was quickly dismissed by Seibold. The coach pointed out the latest injury was suffered while running a short-side play where a centre would have normally been positioned.
“There’s no panic at our end, I understand Tom is such an integral part of Manly and even the NRL, but the main thing for me and our supporters is there will be no concerns about Tom playing in round one,” Seibold said.
“It is not an uncommon injury. He will be out for six to eight weeks. It’s a hiccup, a small bump in the road, but we crack on with it.
Eight weeks … Tom Trbojevic will be sidelines with a hamstring injury, but expected to be fit for round one.Credit:NRL Photos
“It will be about managing Tom’s workloads. I’ll get together with Tom and our medical staff and physios and come up with a plan.”
Trbojevic visited hamstring guru David Opar at the start of last year, and his strict regime, which consisted of a lot of high-intensity sprint work, helped him stay on the park and clinch the Dally M medal in 2021. Seibold said the pair had remained in touch, but a more thorough recovery plan – and any chat about a return to Melbourne to work with Opar – would be devised in the coming days.
Trbojevic was able to walk off the training paddock on Tuesday and has led the way with the fitness testing this summer.
He was keen to lead the way this pre-season after missing the second half of 2022 with a dislocated shoulder. Trbojevic was so shattered by the fact he was about to miss another large chunk of football for his beloved Manly because of injury, he apologised to former coach Des Hasler.
Reuben Garrick has spent time running at fullback at training, Tolu Koula has just returned to training, while rookie Kaeo Weekes has also spent some time at the back learning from club legend No. 1 Brett Stewart.
Seibold said Trbojevic would still attend a mini-training camp in the state’s central west next week, as would skipper Daly Cherry-Evans, who was not expected to return to training until the new year because of his World Cup commitments.
