Late in Manly’s 31-6 win over Canterbury, Tolu Koula dislodged the ball on his own goalline with a thudding ribs tackle. Quick as a flash, the ball moved to Tom Trbojevic and the moment had arrived: could he go like he used to?
Instead, the injury-plagued fullback opted against the length-of-the-field sprint and took the tackle. It was a perplexing moment.
Turbo’s fitness has been one of the enduring sagas of the last few years of the NRL – in the team, he won the Dally M, but so often, he’s out of it.
After his first game back from a ten month layoff and a trip to America to fix his troublesome hamstring, Trbojevic laughed off the idea that he was avoiding stretching his legs, and instead said it was due to a combination of tiredness – and not wanting to lose a footrace to covering winger Josh Addo-Carr.
“I knew I would have lost so I didn’t want to embarrass myself,” he joked. “I was pretty tired throughout that second half. I was cramping up a bit through the calf. It’s good to be back playing footy and I definitely could open up.
“We were coming off the back of cage D (goalline) where you have to work pretty hard.
“I’ve definitely cramped up before. It’s hard to prepare to play footy. I haven’t played for almost ten months now and it was a hot day out there, so that just happens. There’s no issue, it’s all good.”
Turbo scored early and set up another for hat trick hero Daly Cherry-Evans in an impressive return to the NRL. According to the man himself, it had been a fraught week that capped off a long, dark period of rehab.
“It was a very nervous week having not played for a while,” said Turbo.
“I just wanted to get back out there. Before going over when I hurt myself I was very frustrated. I had issues with the hammy earlier on and I thought I was through them, and maybe (I was) complacent in that so it’s frustrating.
“But going over there (to the USA) and learning a lot and understand what you have to do every day and every week to be the best athlete you can be and put you in the best position to play footy for 80 minutes and be confident in doing that – that’s what I took from that time over there.
“You don’t want to get ahead of yourself, you have to take it week by week and keep working hard to put your best self out there.
“With anyone who comes back from a hammy injury, it’s good to get that first game out of the way. It was a challenging rehab. It was good to go overseas and get work done, but challenging and you’ve always got that first game back that you want to get through and knock out the way.”
The fullback said he wasn’t aware of the public feeling around his injuries – but was aware of who was likely chasing him.
“I’m not sure of what people say externally, but I know I can play in this footy team and have no limitations on my movement,” he said. “I certainly never think I’m going outrun the Foxx though! I didn’t think that I could do that before and I’d like to let everyone know that it isn’t a possibility.”
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
Flanagan is meant to be Anthony Seibold's assistant coach. Given the track record of the two and Manly's recent improvement and success my tip is that Seibold is coach in name only. A Claytons coach. The coach you have when you don't have a coach. As Flanagan is still banned by the NRL from taking a head coaching role my guess is that this is the work around that Manly has come up with to sneak Flanagan in via the back door.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Flanno is now at Manly?? Interesting.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
slow news day
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
My money is on "Hot Wheels Harry" to go 2-0. :stoked: :thumbup:
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
Some observations from the Manly vs Bulldogs game... 1. No way should Kyle Flanagan have been sin-binned. Tom overran the ball, tried to brake but was already past it and had no play on the ball. Flanagan barely made contact and clearly didn't push and for the first time in his career that I can remember Tom milked a penalty. 2. Bulldogs fans are learning what happens when the hype-train leaves the station before the Reality Express? 3. Tommy "two-gears" needs to find a 3rd gear again. I know he is still easing his way back into things but it looked he was dragging George Rose behind him on a resistance band. 4. I still believe that behind closed doors Shane Flanagan is coaching Manly not Anthony Seibold. At the very least it is effectively a co-coaching role. 5. It was always going to take the Bulldogs time to get their new systems and structures in place and acclimate new key players into their team. 6. Even further proof that Matt Burton doesn't belong in the halves and should be playing a floating centre role like Turbo for the Blues in Origin. 7. I still think The Foxx would be the missing piece of the puzzle at FB for the Dogs.
Cam
Roar Rookie
Great to have him back. I hate Manly just a little bit less whenever Turbo is playing :laughing:
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
Dufty wouldn’t make 10m with you on his back, Chops!
Robbo
Roar Rookie
And the other bloke that beat Turbo
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
Yeah he’s not just an athlete (there’s plenty of those). He plays smart. That’s what makes you elite.
mushi
Roar Guru
When he retires there has to be a charity sprint vs turbo at the corso
mushi
Roar Guru
Yeah I certainly didn't watch that game and think "Turbo looks like he's nursing his hamstring" He was great and he's got what they call gravity in nba, it felt like the dogs had to constantly account for him.
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
Three way street race: Fox, Turbo and Dufty
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Perhaps when his fitness improves, a race against the Fox down the Corso in street clothes could be arranged.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
I understand why this is a talking point. Every league fan in the country is aware of Turbo’s hamstring issues. But in this particular instance, and in relation to the game overall, I don’t really see it as the big issue people are making out. When Turbo received the ball he immediately looked to the left (perhaps looking for genuine speedster Koula). He then turned right to see both Alomoti and JAC right there, so he took the tackle. Sure he didn’t stretch out but only 5mins later he was there backing up through the middle to take the Paseka pass before sending DCE to the tryline. And 2mins after that he came through on the right edge to take an inside pass from Koula after a Tuipulotu break. The guys ability to be in the right place at the right time is second to none. If we have to sacrifice watching him run 80m this season, and instead just watch him in flight directing the play, sending others away, then I’m fine with that.