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Turbo's NRL charge unstoppable for Eels

3 minute read

Parramatta coach Brad Arthur is at a loss as to how to stop Manly fullback Tom Trbojevic in Sunday's blockbuster NRL clash at Bankwest Stadium.

BRAD ARTHUR.
BRAD ARTHUR. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Image

The past five NRL rounds could count for nothing or everything come Sunday's blockbuster clash at Bankwest Stadium.

Across that time Tom Trbojevic has shot out of a cannon for Manly as a better player than anyone remembered.

The fullback has led the Sea Eagles to four wins, losing only to top-place Penrith, as well as scoring seven tries and 10 try-assists to revive Manly's premiership hopes for 2021.

But across town in Parramatta, the Eels are flying too with their first and only loss of the season coming just six weeks ago.

Despite the form that has led them to a five-game winning streak, coach Brad Arthur is at a loss for how to stop Trbojevic when the rivals meet on Sunday.

"Someone like Tom, you can try and minimise him but you can't stop him," Arthur said.

"You can try and minimise the effect he has on the result and that's what we need to try and do.

"We don't think you can stop him."

Many have tried and failed over the past five weeks as the NSW Origin star has ripped through opposition sides almost at will.

But when Trbojevic's on a roll, he gives the rest of the Manly side confidence too.

"The trust that he puts in players around him, not just what he does with his ball but how he organises his defence, you can also see the confidence has grown in Jake," Arthur said of the Trbojevic brothers.

"They're playing some really good football and I'm sure they'd love nothing more than the challenge that faces them tomorrow."

Meanwhile, Arthur is determined not to let family of his own distract him this week.

After handing a debut to his son Jake in last week's victory over the Warriors, Arthur said he let the emotion of the week get the better of him.

"As a coach didn't handle it the best, I coached pretty poorly last week, I got my interchange wrong on game day," he said.

"But I was fortunate enough that I've got a really strong leadership group who took up the slack that I let them down with.

"When people have milestones or make their debuts here, it's pretty important to our guys.

"You don't always get the result you want but they were going to do everything possible and within their power to get the result for him."

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