A former premiership-winning Sea Eagle, Peter Peters, believes the Sea Eagles must consider releasing Tom Trbojevic to a rival club if his hamstring injuries continue to persist.
Trbojevic was sent to Philadelphia this week to rehab his latest hamstring injury with Bill Knowles, a specialist that treated Latrell Mitchell last season before working with Ryan Papenhuyzen in recent weeks.
It's the fullback's fifth hamstring injury in his career, however after witnessing his potential in 2021 after taking out the Dally M, the magnifying glass on his fitness has intensified.
Peters is concerned the custodian may be forced into a premature retirement from the sport if he can't get his body in order, even considering a positional move to extend his longevity.
Speaking on The Big Sports Breakfast, Peters opened up to Josh Reynolds on Trbojevic and the tough calls facing Manly in the future if these injuries continue.
“Yes, (I would release him to a rival) if it continues,” Peters said on the radio program.
“I think it's a business decision. He may have to take an early retirement if it keeps going.
“He's played 121 games and he made his debut back in 2015. It's just not enough games.
“He's a superstar but it's like having a Lamborghini full of petrol in the garage, but you can't drive it because, mechanically, it's not sound.
“It's a huge make-or-break for Turbo's career in the NRL. He's 26, he's got so many good years in front of him, if he's fit.”
Provided 'Turbo' is fit for the opening round clash with Canterbury, Peters believes Anthony Seibold should shift the superstar into the centres to protect his hamstrings.
The added running at fullback, specifically covering Matt Burton's kicking game could be detrimental so early in the season, according to Peters.
“Certainly for game one in 2023 if he's right, and all indications are that he will be, against the Bulldogs at 4 Pines Park. The towering bombs from Matt Burton are exactly what they don't need to be under first-up,” Peters continued on The Big Sports Breakfast.
“I would be playing Kaeo Weekes or Reuben Garrick in the fullback spot.
“Turbo doesn't need the first-up test that Burton would bring.
“Weekes, in the final game of 2022, in pouring rain against the Bulldogs, fielded every high kick except one from Matt Burton.
“It was a great exhibition of fullback play. I'd play the kid and put Tommy in the centres.”
Including 2023, Trbojevic still has four years left on his contract with the Sea Eagles, tying him and his brother Jake to the club until at least the end of 2026.
The trouble is that he is contracted until the end of 2026, at $1.1M per season.
If he continues to be fragile then no other team will pick him up for any more than a fraction of that money – Manly will need to throw in a big chunk. If they are going to have to do that then they may as well keep him, and accept that he will not play full seasons, just part seasons.
Bother Jake is 29 next month, and is also signed until the end of 2026, on $900K. He will not be looking to go anywhere, but with his age and style of play he must be considered unlikely to last four more seasons..
If I were Scott Penn I would take a couple of lessons from this:
a) don’t sign players on four year deals.
b) don’t expect them to play twenty-odd matches a year, every year, plus finals and SOO
c) find out what Matt Moyland did last year, and see if you can follow a similar regime for Turbo and Jerbo for the next four years.
Turbo makes Dugan and Moylan look good when it comes to injuries. Never seen anyone so fragile. The stats say it all, averages 11 games a season. Not worth half the money. He should be paid on a per game basis not a yearly amount.