Manly Sea Eagles’ audacious plan to get star fullback Tom Trbojevic back for NRL finals
After originally being ruled out for the season, Manly Sea Eagles superstar Tom Trbojevic could be back well ahead of schedule from a serious pectoral injury.
Manly superstar Tom Trbojevic could be available for a shock finals comeback – and NRL rules will also allow Manly to find an interim replacement.
Trbojevic sustained a pectoral injury in State of Origin II with the Sea Eagles now hoping he could return after a 12-week absence.
That means Trbojevic – provided he is cleared medically – could be back for week two of the finals, provided Manly can qualify.
Under NRL rules, a club can only secure salary cap dispensation for an injured player if he misses 12 or more games. Trbojevic will miss the required 12 weeks.
That means Manly can try to locate an immediate replacement but also include Trbojevic in their side later this season.
Manly would have to drop a player if the club exceeded the 30-man squad limit through a new player and Trbojevic’s return.
The NRL insists a replacement for Trbojevic would need to be ‘like-for-like’.
It was expected Trbojevic would miss the rest of this season but there is now some optimism he could return for a late crack if Manly can sneak into the playoffs.
Manly continues to monitor the market – the club sounded out New Zealander Roger Tuivasa-Sheck – but have not yet identified a possible fullback replacement.
The Sea Eagles have been buoyed by Dolphins halfback Sean O’Sullivan, who was ready to return from a pectoral injury after a 12-game lay-off.
O’Sullivan injured his pectoral in round four against Brisbane but was back in round 17 against Parramatta. He could have played round 16 but the Dolphins had a bye.
Trbojevic injured his pec on June 21 in Sydney.
There is the question as to whether Manly would risk bringing Trbojevic back from such a long-term injury so late in the season.
But if Trbojevic is cleared medically, and wants to play, Manly would no doubt select the Test and Blues star.
Trbojevic returned to hospital earlier this month after contracting a post-surgery infection.
To play finals footy, Manly must start winning consistently. The Sea Eagles currently sit in 11th place with seven wins from 17 games.
Manly are three points outside the top eight and
play Cronulla this Sunday at Pointsbet Stadium.
Trbojevic has endured a wretched sequence of injuries dating back to 2016.
From then, the luckless star has sustained four hamstring injuries along with ankle and shoulder issues.
His 2021 season was one of the finest by an individual player in modern day rugby league history.
Why is this even being talked about, on the odd chance we make the finals we won't get past the first week.
Give him time for his body to recover, each time he comes back at 95% he is out again.
We also should have found a replacement by now, why the delay when he was ruled out for the season.
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