Former Cronulla Sharks skipper Paul Gallen has urged the Manly Sea Eagles to make their superstar fullback switch positions amid fears retirement is looming.
Trbojevic suffered his ninth hamstring injury since 2019, four on the left and five on the right.
The superstar fullback missed eight weeks with a high-grade tear and returned four weeks ago before injuring his other hamstring on Sunday.
Manly are hopeful he can return for Round 23 and received some positive news from scans revealing a minor strain.
Last year Trbojevic spent time at right centre after coming back from injury to reduce his metres, but didn't remain in the role and returned to fullback, where he has since injured his hamstring twice in 12 months.
When fully fit, Trbojevic is one of the most damaging players to lace up the boots, but given injury setbacks have crept into his game since his 2021 Dally M season, there are calls for a permanent change to centre to reduce workload.
"I think he's at a stage where he's got to take a real look at his career and where he's going to be when he comes back," he said on Nine's 100% Footy.
"Where he was in 2021 when he won the Dally M compared to where he's been since then, it's chalk and cheese.
"I personally think he's going to have to move to the centres. For his career and going forward for him to play as much football as he can, he's going to have to reduce the amount of kilometres he runs, and for me that's from moving out of fullback."
Trbojevic has had a decorated history in the centre position, dominating the representative arena for the NSW Blues in the role under Brad Fittler.
He'd roam the field, pop up on both sides of the park and turn attacking opportunities into four points consistently, scoring a hat trick in Game 1 and a singular try in Game 2 of 2021.
Although 'Turbo' succumbs to injury right around the corner from State of Origin selection each year, he hasn't got the nod in recent seasons.
There are fears it could lead to premature retirement.
Given Trbojevic's big price tag and the limited time he has spent on the park, hanging up the boots from the NRL may creep into his mind following setback after setback.
Panthers legend Greg Alexander says the calls for retirement are too early.
"Not yet," Alexander said on SEN Radio. "Frustrating…absolutely," he added.
Lehi Hopoate will don the maroon and white fullback jersey in Trbojevic's absence, given first-choice fullback Clayton Faulalo is dealing with his own hamstring troubles.
The Sea Eagles host the Cronulla Sharks at Brookvale on Sunday in a must-win affair for the Northern Beaches club if they are to make a claim for the premiership.
The more pertinent question for the Manly coach and board to be asking is:
– “would we be standing a better chance of getting into the finals, if we had spent Tom’s $1.2M on another fullback?”
Then ask:
– “will we stand a better chance of getting into the finals next year, if we spend Tom’s $900K on another full back?”
If Tom retires and is paid out, then the money he is on for next year becomes available under the cap. What is the best way to spend it?
And after reaching their conclusion with Tom, they should repeat the Q&A for Jake.