Manly CEO Tony Mestrov is adamant the Trbojevic brothers will not follow Des Hasler out of the embattled NRL club, and insists Tom and Jake will see out the final four years of their contracts.
Superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic met with his management on Friday morning over Zoom, as he continued to digest the news Hasler had been shown the door 24 hours earlier by owner Scott Penn and the board.
No request for a release has been made by the pair’s management, but their agent Paul Sutton has made no secret of their frustration over the Sea Eagles’ plight.
If there was to be any hint of an agitation to exit, the pair would likely command big money from rival clubs as two of the game’s premier talents.
But Mestrov has moved quickly to dispel any suggestion either of the brothers will exit Brookvale, after speaking with them on Thursday after Hasler was sacked.
Jake and Tom Trbojevic. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)
“It has been a tough period for everyone at the club over the past few days,” Mestrov told AAP. “But Tom and Jake are the heartbeat of this club, as well as being the future of the club.
“They are both signed to the club until 2026 and going nowhere.”
Manly’s management are heavily reliant on the pair staying. Both are considered Sea Eagles through-and-through after growing up on the northern beaches, and Tom in particular is a fan favourite.
He won last year’s Dally M Medal as he took Manly back into the top four, before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in May of this year.
On numbers alone, Manly go from a 70 per cent winning record with him on the park in the past four years under Hasler compared to 34 per cent without him.
He has produced his best football under Hasler in recent years, and he and brother Jake share the same management company as the sacked coach.
Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans was also close with Hasler and signed a two-year extension earlier this year. He and Jake Trbojevic are currently in England on Rugby League World Cup duties.
The duo are among nine Sea Eagles overseas for the tournament, which is set to kick off on Saturday night.
It is highly likely they will be left to answer questions from touring media throughout the tournament.
Manly opted against holding a press conference on Friday, as they continue to work through the financial payout for Hasler.
The veteran coach still had one year left to run on his contract, after being denied an automatic extension into 2024 when Manly’s season fell apart following the pride jersey saga.
Anthony Seibold is yet to be officially appointed as the club’s new head coach, needing to sever his ties as an assistant with England’s national rugby team before taking up the job.
When he returns to Australia he will face a battle to unite the fractured Sea Eagles, with pre-season training set to start in little more than two weeks.
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
Aside from my anxiety regarding the Sea Eagles, I only drink when I’m awake.
NSWelshman
Roar Rookie
Lololololol
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
HY, although they may get spooned . Now I know why you like a drink . :happy:
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
And we have Buzz's headline, Manly dream team taking shape, Seibold, Daley and Flanagan . :sick:
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
Lol - arguably you could say that they never really merged with the Bears anyway.
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
If the contracts are watertight they don't have much say but getting 100% effort each week is going to be the problem. If they're hearts aren't in it it's going to be difficult. If you think this whole pride jersey fiasco situation through whoever was behind it obviously didn't want Des involved but when it blew up in their face they threw him under the bus to resolve it . No wonder he locked them out of the rooms .
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
I also heard many moons ago that Manly would never relocate and would absolutely never not in a million years merge with the Bears
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
Well if they are useless, they will fit right in at the knights. Welcome, Turbos. Ponga? Oh we will fit him in somewhere. Don't worry about it. Now heres the keys to the city, the security code to the Greater Newcastle Bank vault and every beqchside house between Nobbys and Catho. Make yourselves comfy
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
Manly will never get the Spoon.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Manly have 7 losses in a row, this is set to continue well long into 2023. Cant imagine any player wanting to play for the Penn Family after Pride, Des and the rest. Once the Eagles collect their first wooden spoon in 2023, the Trbo Bros will be out of there before you can say "Manly Warringah"
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
Yes it’s hard to bet a bead on McLennan, he seems to do a bit too much of “thinking out loud”. Either he’s cleverly playing a rope a dope long game, or he’s out of his depth. I’m not seeing a middle ground.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Yep spot on. Both Jake and Tom are useless players. Other Clubs would be wise to focus on recruiting & spending elsewhere
Tom G
Roar Rookie
My point is that as good as Turbo is, he’s not going to fix the lineout, breakdown, scrum nor the other 14 blokes dropping the ball. However watch the egotistical clown whose already signalled a raid on NRL go in heavy handed for him
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
When Payne Hass demanded a million a season it was universally agreed by most "experts" that no prop was worth that much coin, But whats Jake on ??? And Tom at 40 games over the last 4 seasons does not justify $1.1mill per season
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Ah ok. I’m just going by history of guys coming up through a club, bleed the colours, Yada yada, club legends and they leave. You just never know. You guys here are all my sport info. Lol
Simoc
Roar Rookie
The Wallabies don't have problems other than not being good enough against better players. That's why they lose. They play to their ranking.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
They won’t be going to another NRL club but dopey Hamish McLennan might make an offer to Tom and or Ben from the ARU that’s a bit hard to resist. Jake they’d reason could find transition difficult. Is it likely? Yes, does it make sense? Nope. Don’t get me wrong, Tom would be a star but given the current state of the Wallabies, a star backline player is not going to fix their problems.
Birdy
Roar Rookie
Someone should ask Wayne for a more accurate update on the Turbo Dolphins.
Succhi
Roar Rookie
They’ll be linked to the Dolphins, and then realise Manly in QLD is not much like Manly in NSW.
Rellum
Roar Guru
If you read other sites it is said the situation is too raw to make a call now