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Turbo set to return in trio of Trbojevics

3 minute read

Tom Trbojevic is on track to return for Manly against Wests Tigers with the Sea Eagles poised to also name his brother Ben in their NRL backline.

TOM TRBOJEVIC.
TOM TRBOJEVIC. Picture: Jono Searle/Getty Images

Manly will start a game with three Trbojevic brothers for the first time with superstar fullback Tom to return from a knee injury against Wests Tigers.

Down on numbers after further injury blows, the Sea Eagles received a massive boost on Tuesday with the Dally M Medallist getting through a full training session unscathed and named at No.1.

The 24-year-old always hoped of returning from knee surgery this round, quicker than most had predicted when he tore his medial ligament last month.

"He's a big chance of playing this weekend," captain Daly Cherry-Evans said.

"He trained today, we have another session in a few days. He is on track at the moment.

"Any time he is in our side he obviously makes a massive improvement to the way we play, both in attack and defence.

"He's not going to be rushed, but it's looking really good for him at the moment."

Trbojevic's return will be particularly timely for a Manly team content to be 4-4 given the injury toll they have suffered through the opening months of the campaign.

Centre Brad Parker's season is at risk of being over after partially tearing his ACL, with medical staff to reassess in a month whether he will require surgery.

Winger Jason Saab has been ruled out for at least a fortnight after suffering a toe sprain in scoring his first try of the season in the Sea Eagles' loss to South Sydney.

It means Christian Tuipulotu will remain on a wing, while Ben Trbojevic will likely play centres and join brothers Tom and Jake in the starting side for the first time.

The trio have only played together once before, spending only 13 seconds on the field together in Ben's debut off the bench last year.

"It will be a special moment for me and the family," Ben Trbojevic said.

The fullback's return headlines a list of big-name comebacks across the NRL.

Brian To'o and Moses Leota have been named on an extended bench for Penrith against Parramatta, while Dale Finucane is back for Cronulla, Jack Bird for St George Illawarra and Dallin Waetene-Zelezniak for the Warriors.

Jarrod Croker is in line for his first game of the year at Canberra, who face a Canterbury side with captain Josh Jackson returning from COVID.

Tom Opacic will also return at centre for Parramatta, allowing Dylan Brown to revert to five-eighth with Jake Arthur back in the reserves.

But the news is not all good.

Brisbane have lost Payne Haas to his shoulder injury and Kurt Capewell to a neck problem for the clash with South Sydney, with Pat Carrigan's return the only positive.

The Rabbitohs have stuck with Isaiah Tass at centre ahead of Taane Milne, after impressing last week against Manly.

The Tigers will be without Luciano Leilua against the Sea Eagles with his ankle injury, but do get Jake Simpkin back at starting hooker while calling Tyrone Peachey back onto the bench.

Newcastle have axed five-eighth Jake Clifford, with Tex Hoy and Phoenix Crossland the new halves combination given Adam Clune's knee issue.

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