Those same Manly fans heartbroken by the news Daly Cherry-Evans will depart at the end of the year should take heart that Tom Trbojevic passed his main fitness test on Monday and is a certain starter against Parramatta on Sunday.
Trbojevic wouldn’t comment on his skipper’s departure but did confirm on Tuesday he was able to hit top speed at a field session a day earlier, and was prepared to sit out a second week if he was still feeling tightness in his left hamstring.
“I’m good to go, I had to tick a few boxes, and I was able to complete the main session on Monday,” Trbojevic said.
“It was nothing ridiculous, but I still had to hit top speed, which I did. The session was probably more for me, and if I didn’t feel right, I wasn’t going to play. But there were no issues whatsoever.”
Trbojevic said he felt his hamstring tighten midway through the second half of the New Zealand Warriors’ clash. He tried to play on for a few minutes before leaving the field as a precaution.
There were no issues with his hamstrings during the summer, and a week’s rest and rehabilitation had him ready to face the Eels.
Tom Trbojevic is a definite starter for Manly on Sunday.Credit: NRL Photos
Trbojevic’s Kangaroos’ teammate Zac Lomax has been one of the few attacking threats for Parramatta, and the Manly No. 1 knows “world-class” Lomax will be an aerial threat when it comes to contested kicks.
Lehi Hopoate filled in at fullback against the Raiders on the weekend, but will make way for Trbojevic and revert to the wing.
In other team news:
- Alex Johnston is expected to return for Souths on Thursday night against premiers Penrith, his first game since rupturing his Achilles last July. He needs 18 tries to break Ken Irvine’s long-serving record of 212. Campbell Graham, meanwhile, is out with a leg injury.
- Jack Cole and Trent Toelau start in the halves for the Panthers, with Blaize Talagi remaining on the bench.
- Jeral Skelton (hamstring) has been named to start on the wing for the Wests Tigers, despite failing to finish the game against the Dolphins last Saturday. Should the Tigers win against the Warriors, it will be their first three-game winning streak since 2018.
- Kotoni Staggs (hip flexor) returns for the Broncos with Deine Mariner dropping out for Friday’s clash against the Dolphins. There were whispers Payne Haas had been sent for scans on a knee injury, but club officials confirmed he will start.
- Tom Hazelton returns to the bench for Cronulla in what is a straight swap for Braden Hamlin-Uele (knee), with Siosifa Talaki (ankle) also named on the bench, but only rated a “50-50 chance” for Saturday night’s game at home to Canterbury.
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