Tom Trbojevic has “every chance” of winning the Dally M, according to True Blue Greg Alexander, and he’ll do it by playing less games this season than everyone else.
Trbojevic didn’t start the 2021 NRL season for Manly until Round Six, after a hamstring complaint resurfaced. Then he missed three more club games during the Ampol State of Origin series.
The Manly fullback faces a great test tonight when the Sea Eagles take on premiership heavyweights Melbourne Storm at Suncorp Stadium but Alexander said he has stepped up for every game so far.
“He's only played 11 games and is every chance of winning the Dally M, which would be extraordinary because every time he's run on the field this year it's been a man-of-the-match performance,” Alexander told Behind Blues Eyes for nswrl.com.au.
Behind Blue Eyes | Round 21
Trbojevic won the Wally Lewis Medal for player of the Origin series. He has scored four hat-tricks this year – three for the Sea Eagles and one for the Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues in Game One.
Alexander was one of the Fox Sports commentators watching the Manly’s demolition of Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in Round 20 where Trbojevic scored three tries, made three line breaks, had four line-break assists, three try assists, five off-loads, 14 tackle-busts, and ran for 217 metres.
"We went through his numbers before the game, at halftime and at the end of the game... it was one of the great performances, individual efforts this year,” Alexander said.
But it’s also Turbo’s ability to bring out the best for those around him – with confidence and good support play.
"There's others around Tom that have started to lift.... those periphery players that no-one knew much about at the start of the year like Morgan Harper, Haumole Olakau’atu, and a number of others who have done their job,” Alexander said.
“But all of a sudden it seems they're playing great footy too.
"So, if Manly keep that team on the field that played the Sharks at the weekend, then they're a chance this week in a massive game against Melbourne Storm on Saturday night.”
