Manly’s decision to move star fullback Tom Trbojevic has been heavily debated as it could spark the team and the player, but could also backfire if not handled correctly.
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Under pressure Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold has bowed to pressure to move Trbojevic from the No.1 jersey due to his repeated injuries that have curtailed his effectiveness and the emergence of young gun Lehi Hopoate.
Paul Crawley believes the decision to move Trbojevic from his fullback role has not gone down well with all factions of the Manly club.
“I think that the revelation that Tom Trbojevic will be moved to the centres and out of fullback, I’m not sure that has gone down too well with other parties in the team,” Crawley said on NRL 360.
However, Braith Anasta believes that Trbojevic is passed his best as a fullback and Hopoate’s emergence means the balance of the team is better with him in the centres.
“I actually like the move,” Anasta said.
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“If you break it down Tom is the best bloke in the world and we all love him, but Lehi Hopoate has been killing it at the back. He is youthful. He doesn’t get injured. He is a rising star if not a star already.
“And Tom’s best footy would most likely be behind him now let’s be honest.
“Tom can move into the centres, he has played there for Origin and we know how good he can be. He’s a big body. Doesn’t need to move as much or cover as many kilometres.
“I think it is a good thing. I don’t see it as a bad thing.”
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The Daily Telegraph’s Dean Ritchie believes it about balancing what Manly lose with Hopoate at the back with what they gain.
“It would halve his workload there is no doubt about that,” Ritchie said.
“But he is the best voice in rugby league back there in terms of on-field he is a coach.
“And being at fullback also allows him to attack on both sides of the field.”
However, Gorden Tallis believes fullback is a position for younger players in the modern game.
“It’s a young man’s position now,” Tallis said.
“He is not having the impact that he used to have,” Anasta added.
But Ritchie pointed out that Trbojevic is not as old as many people believe and his ability to organise a defence is important.
“I spoke to Seibold about this two weeks ago and he told me at that moments that no he had no plans because Tom’s voice at the back is too important and Lehi is not quite there as yet,” Ritchie said.
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“We talk about a young man’s game. Tom Trbojevic is only 28. We talk about Tom as though he is 34.”
However, Tallis believes Trbojevic is playing injured and the club are trying to cover it up given his history of hamstring issues.
“I love Tom, but he is not pulling the trigger anymore,” Tallis said.
“When he runs it is like he is running on egg shells and that’s no criticism, I just feel sorry for him.
“I think he’s carrying injuries. I thought they were hiding it. They said he had a cork when maybe he did have another hamstring problem.”
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Crawley believes if Trbojevic is on board his centre switch can be a masterstroke, but if he isn’t it is just the latest incident to cause division in the Manly ranks this season.
“Again it comes back to how the message was relayed like the Cherry-Evans situation,” Crawley said.
“Whatever happened there it wasn’t handled well. And if Tom is on board with this and it works, good luck, but if it has created more division in the team it could have been done differently.”
