Manly’s previously ground-bound star Tom Trbojevic removed any doubt about whether he can still cut it at Origin level with a timely hat-trick to return to form in Sunday’s 42-14 demolition job in Canberra.
Trbojevic’s recent struggles with form due to a lingering groin injury had reduced him from automatic NSW selection to fringe candidate but the 26-year-old fullback showed he will be ready for the Maroons on May 31 by putting the Raiders to the sword.
His brother Jake also looks set to be in the Blues squad after making a successful early return from a calf strain as Manly moved to one point outside the top eight after ending the Raiders’ five-game winning streak.
Their younger sibling Ben, starting alongside Tom and Jake for only the second time, limped off with a hamstring injury in the only sour note for the family.
Second-rower Haumole Olakau’atu is a chance to make his Blues debut but is facing a nervous wait before the match review committee announces its findings due to a high shot on Canberra veteran Jarrod Croker.
CLICK HERE for a seven-day free trial for your favourite sport on KAYO
Turbo turns it on just in time for Origin
Trbojevic scored his first try since Round 7 when he muscled over in the corner after surging into the defensive line from 15m out.
And he made it a double in the first half when he sidestepped back against the grain to show he’s still an elite attacking weapon.
“Just too quick, Tommy. A bit of footwork. And that’s as fast as he’s looked all season. Fantastic,” said Blues advisor Greg Alexander on Fox League commentary.
Turbo’s third try in the second half was his best – he created a break for Jason Saab and backed it up from long range, striding out at close to full pace.
This was the Tommy Turbo that Alexander and Blues coach Brad Fittler had been waiting to see.
“It’s nice to put in a performance like that,” Trbojevic said. “I love playing footy and I love playing well so it was good.”
When asked if Origin selection was on his mind, he replied: “To be honest, it wasn’t. I was just really focused on doing my job here for the team and put in a good performance. Those selections come on the back of that.”
Jake was his usual wholehearted self in the middle of GIO Stadium with a desperate lunge on the goal line stopping an Elliott Whitehead try in the second half by jolting the ball from the Canberra forward’s grasp.
“He gives us a lot of leadership in the middle third of the field. We’ve missed that over the last couple of games,” coach Anthony Seibold said. “On both sides of the footy he organises us really effectively. I think it freed up Josh (Schuster) and Tom in particular.
“He brings an attitude and application like few players in the comp.”
Two streaks wiped away
Manly’s left edge has leaked like a sieve this season as they entered the contest after three straight losses and Canberra, on a five-game winning run, capitalised in the sixth minute when Josh Schuster made a feeble attempt to stop Elliott Whitehead close to the line.
Schuster was making his return to the NRL after struggling with fitness and a thigh problem but there were no excuses for the turnstile tackle he tried this time around.
Schuster made amends by supplying the final pass for Trbojevic’s try and another to centre Brad Parker as Manly went 10-6 up by the 25th minute.
Brad Parker celebrates after scoring a try with teammates. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Turbo’s second made it 16-6 before a Croker penalty goal on the siren cut the deficit to eight at the break.
Manly winger Reuben Garrick extended the lead to 12 points nine minutes after the restart when he touched down in the corner after referee Gerard Sutton let play go on after a Jordan Rapana professional foul in tackling Parker on suspicion.
Turbo’s third and an individual effort to Schuster blew the score out to 30-8 by the midway point of the second half with each team reduced to 12 after Sean Keppie reacted to a Hudson Young cheap shot after the five-eighth touched down.
Garrick combined with his fellow winger for Saab to finish off another long-range strike before before Ata Mariota restored some respectability to the home team’s scoreboard.
Former Cowboys forward Ben Condon cashed in with a try in his Manly debut in the final minute to add to Canberra’s misery.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart expected a fired-up Manly side desperate to bounce back to form.
“We’ll get straight back on the horse,” he said. Stuart was terse and gave short answers to the journalists’ questions in a brief post-match media conference.
Green Machine out of kilter
Canberra had a chance to join a five-way tie for first place on the ladder on 16 points if they could have accounted for Manly to rack up a sixth straight success.
But it was one of those games where the worst thing that happened to them was that they got off to a strong start.
After Whitehead plunged over for a soft try early on, the home side did not convert the early dominance and generally looked lethargic in attack and defence for the most part thereafter.
They have dropped to a 6-5 record and are still in the top eight just one win behind the leaders and have the advantage of taking on an Origin-depleted Rabbitohs side next Saturday with Josh Papalii and Jack Wighton available for them after recently announcing their respective retirements from interstate duty.
dogs
Roar Rookie
I did think they got a few harsh calls. The Turbo not-played-at call led directly to a try. They ran through where Wighton should have been, but he was out of position as he was still on his way back after trying to argue with the ref. Great from Manly to spot it, and poor from the Raiders not playing the whistle. But a very poor call from the ref I thought.
astro
Roar Rookie
Seibold finally moved away from taking 25 props into the game, and suddenly Manly looked much faster and more effective in attack...who would have thought! Surely the Aloiai at 13 experiment is over, and so to are any minutes for Aaron Woods. Manly are blessed with a bunch of young, tough and talented backrowers like Bullemor, Lawton, Burbo and Condon. Glad to see them getting a run and doing well.
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
Ricky filthy at his team for losing so badly he can’t blame the officials. But in all seriousness, the Raiders rely on ticker more than skill and the whole “nobody respects us, we have to overcome the odds works in small doses, it won’t work week in week out as it is too emotionally draining for everyone. So they are going to have these kinds of games from time to time
DavMan
Roar Rookie
So not only a better performance from Turbo but a much more cohesive effort from our boys in both attack and defence. Very pleased by the result and the effort shown.
NorthNarra
Roar Rookie
In happy shock. Was expecting that scoreline other way around.
Cam
Roar Rookie
Geez, I was meant to believe Tom was injured beyond repair and last week confirmed just that with his stats reading: 1 tackle bust, the end. Today he ran for 245m, 3 tries, 3 line breaks, 2 line break assists, 1 try assist, 2 offloads, 9 tackle busts and zero tackles missed. Billy Slater has been conned.
Caractacus
Roar Rookie
I’m pretty sure that Turbo was in anyway but that performance just confirms it. The Maroons have more to sweat on with the judiciary, Tino could miss game 1 if he’s unlucky but surely Kafusi has no chance.