Manly veteran Jake Trbojevic says his intention is to play on next season, but he insists he wants to make a decision that’s best for him and the club and he doesn’t want to be a “burden” for the team he loves so dearly.
Trbojevic, 32, has an option in his favour to play on in 2027 and says he’s “definitely” leaning towards going around for one more year after a solid month of footy under interim coach Kieran Foran.
The former NSW skipper made his NRL debut back in 2013 and has dealt with a series of head knocks over the years that left people wondering whether he would continue playing.
Trbojevic had a slow start to the year – as did many of his Manly teammates – but he’s run the ball more under Foran and is likely to activate the deal for 2027.
“It’s been a really enjoyable month. Having Foz (Foran) take over has been a breath of fresh air, and the month of footy we’ve put together makes life a lot easier,” he said.
“The last few weeks have definitely made things a lot easier. I just want to make a good decision for both me and the club. I don’t want to be a burden.
“We’re obviously always having a chat, and there’s great respect between both parties, so it won’t be far away.”
Tom Trbojevic says criticism of his brother earlier in the year was over the top, with the injured fullback keen to see Jake go around for one more year.
The veteran lock remains a key member of the Sea Eagles squad, with his influence on the team off the field equally as valuable as what he does on the field.
“He’s definitely playing some of his best footy and really enjoying himself, so definitely (I want to see him play on),” Tom said.
“I thought everyone copped a bit of criticism (at the start of the year), but I don’t think he was playing as badly as everyone was saying. We know what he’s capable of, and I guess it’s great that he’s showing everyone that.”
Meanwhile, the Sea Eagles will find out exactly how far they’ve come under Foran when they face the ladder-leading Panthers on Sunday night.
Manly has won four on the trot under their caretaker coach but this will be their toughest test.
“Any time you play Penrith, it’s going to be a tough challenge,” Jake said.
“It’s nice that we come in with a good bit of form because it gives you a bit of confidence. But we know it’s going to be a very hard test.
“Anyone who goes up against Penrith knows they’ve been the best side for the last five or six years. It’s a great challenge for us to see where we’re at. I’m just happy with our progression; we’ve continually gotten better and better.
“Hopefully, we can just go out and compete with them. I’m not going to talk about an end result, I just hope we can compete for a good amount of time.”
Originally published as ‘I don’t want to be a burden’: Sea Eagles great set to play on in 2027 as club prepares for ultimate Panthers test