While their loss to the Gold Coast Titans has all but destroyed any chance Manly had of making the finals, the result had more than one negative consequence, with a key player now ruled out for the season.
X-rays on Monday have confirmed Manly lock Jake Trbojevic has suffered a broken hand and won’t play in the NRL again this season. The news comes as part of a double blow after confirmation winger Jason Saab ruptured his ACL in the same game.
The onus is now on Jake Trbojevic to prove to Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga that he’ll be fit enough to represent Australia at the World Cup. He now joins brother Tom as another star who’ll be racing the clock to be fit when they would’ve otherwise been an automatic pick.
Trbojevic had missed just one game all season to this point, and his impact at representative level was clear after he made an impact upon his recall to Brad Fittler’s Origin side.
Meninga is clearly a fan of Trbojevic, speaking on his and Josh Addo-Carr’s controversial omission from the Origin series opener earlier in the year and claiming it wouldn’t impact his World Cup chances.
“They’re great players,” Meninga told the Daily Telegraph at the time.
“They’re influential and will be in the picture. The reason they’ve been great players in so many great representative teams is because they’ve been so consistent for their clubs.”
Coach Des Hasler has selected experienced utility Dylan Brown to wear the No.13 this weekend, with Brad Parker set to make his first appearance since Round 8 to cover for Saab.
With the season all-but over, the Sea Eagles will be playing for pride when they host a red-hot Cronulla side this weekend. The game kicks off at 5.30pm Saturday from 4 Pines Park.
