Breaking: Sea Eagles sign “hard-working” 22-year-old for a three year deal
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles have extended the contract of hard-working back-rower Ben Trbojevic for a further three years.
Off contract this year, the Sea Eagles have now pushed the 22-year-old out to the end of the 2027 season.
Trbojevic has played 26 games for Manly since making his NRL debut against the Newcastle Knights in 2021 after coming through the Sea Eagles Pathways Program.
A proud local junior from the Mona Vale Raiders Club, Trbojevic said he was determined to build on a solid start to his NRL career.
“I just want to put my best foot forward and be in that 17 each week,’’ Trbojevic said.
“Obviously my goal is to start. I felt like I took a big step last year in developing more into an edge back-rower.
“I’m loving playing in the back-row. You are just always in the game. It’s such an important position in the team. I just want to give my best each week for Manly.”
Sea Eagles Coach Anthony Seibold was pleased to reward Trbojevic, who had his best season in the NRL last year with 12 appearances.
“Ben has already made further strides forward this pre-season. He is pushing for a starting position as it stands,’’ Seibold said.
“We want to reward Ben not only for the improvement in him but also where we think he can go to over the next three years.
“Obviously the connection and cohesion the three Trbojevic brothers bring to the team as local juniors is something that is really special.
“We feel as though Ben’s best footy is in front of him. By extending Ben out for a further three years, it means we have got guys like him, Tolu Koula, Haumole Olakauátu, Taniela Paseka, Josh Schuster, as well as Jake and Tom Trbojevic, all here for the next period of time.
“We feel like we have got the squad in good shape.”
Turbo, Jurbo and Burbo: Seibold to make mega call on Round 1 Sea Eagles’ team
The Sea Eagles are weighing up an enormous selection call for Round 1.
Ben Trbojevic is set to take the next big step in his rise to becoming an NRL star by being named in the Manly Sea Eagles’ team for Round 1.
The youngest Trbojevic, who has widely been rated as better than both of his brothers at various stages of his development at the same age, has battled injuries to find a permanent role in Manly’s best 17 during the last two seasons.
But it appears a full pre-season without incident has left him in line to gain a starting spot for the opening round of the new campaign, when Manly travel to Las Vegas to play the South Sydney Rabbitohs as part of the historic double-header that also features the Sydney Roosters up against the Brisbane Broncos.
News Corp are reporting his pre-season, combined with a three-try performance in an unofficial trial against the South Sydney Rabbitohs on the Central Coast this past weekend, will be enough to win him the starting spot ahead of Josh Schuster in Round 1.
Schuster was due to move back to the second-row this season, and despite claims from the club that he has had an excellent pre-season, a bout of chicken pox followed by a finger injury has left him on the outside looking in.
It comes after he has battled with injuries over the past two years, with his 2022 season on the edge, and 2023 season at five-eighth, being severely limited.
Schuster has been moved out of the halves following Luke Brooks’ arrival from the Wests Tigers, with the five-eighth also playing a strong role in the trial against the Rabbitohs.
It’s understood Schuster will play a limited role in this weekend’s first pre-season challenge match against the Sydney Roosters, and will be on the plane to the USA, but will not start.
The youngest Trbojevic brother can also play in the centres, and has spent time in both roles during his short NRL career to date. A former junior State of Origin player, it has been unclear which role he would develop predominantly into at NRL level, but it would appear an answer can now be provided.
Manly’s clash with the Rabbitohs in Las Vegas will be played on March 3 (AEDT) at 1:30pm.
