The rumours about Tom Trbojevic and his Sea Eagles exit were never quite true, the man himself has claimed ahead of the 2023 NRL season. In fact, it’s quite the opposite—he’s eager to get the team firing again under new helmsman Anthony Seibold.
He speaks: “I’m very happy,” Tommy ‘Turbo’ told the Herald this week.
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With the 2022 Rugby League World Cup in the rearview mirror—and the glittering gold trophy firmly in Australia’s silverware cabinet—Trbojevic has turned his attention back to club footy as the preseason gets underway. (Manly began work two weeks ago.)
And, amidst preparations to do it all again next calendar year, ‘Turbo’ has moved to strike down a rumour that bubbled to the surface soon after the end of the 2022 season; that he and brother Jake had pushed to break their contracts years early and leave their boyhood club.
”A lot of things were being said in the media, but I’m happy,” the fullback said upon his return to training. “I just want to play good footy for them [the fans].”
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The biggest headlines after Manly’s failure to make finals off the back of a mega losing streak, itself sparked by internal issues around the club’s Pride jersey in round 20, was that the playing group had fallen apart. According to Tom, nothing of the sort really happened at Brookvale.
”A lot of things were getting tossed out but we just want to play good footy and win games,” he explained. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to do that at the back end of last year, and we need to turn that around.”
Trbojevic was sidelined from round 11 with a season-ending shoulder injury.
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With the ruckus of the 2022 offseason behind the club—Turbo hopes, at least—eyes turn towards a new Manly era. Anthony Seibold, who has been coaching rugby in England since his high-profile axing at the Brisbane Broncos, agreed to a three year deal in early November.
Trbojevic, who has history with Seibold, couldn’t be keener.
”I’ve worked under Seibs [Seibold] before and I’m looking forward to working with him closely again,” he said. “He’s back from his comments in England [rugby coaching] now so I’m looking forward to ripping in with him.
”Hopefully, we’re building for a better base next year. I really enjoyed working under him. I look forward to doing it again a little more closely this time. We’ve got a really good side staff. Having [assistants] Flanno [Shane Flanagan] and Jimmy Dymock there as well will definitely help him.
The biggest thing, Trbojevic says, is to avoid the disappointment 2022 coughed up by the time the final gong rung. “We didn’t play the footy we wanted to last year and we need to turn that around.”
Manly will start 2023 by hosting the Bulldogs at Brookvale in March.
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