‘He’ll bounce back from this’: Foran backs Trbojevic after latest hamstring injury

Manly superstar Tom Trbojevic will undergo scans in Sydney this weekend, with Manly officials confident his latest hamstring injury – his eighth in as many NRL seasons – poses no threat to his immediate playing future.

The sight of Trbojevic clutching at his left hamstring and grimacing in pain in the 13th minute took some of the gloss off the club’s powerhouse 38-6 win over the Cowboys.

Caretaker coach Kieran Foran, who spent plenty of time rehabilitating his own hamstrings when he used to play with “Turbo”, said the star fullback was in a good headspace and would be back.

Foran also praised Trbojevic for asking to sit in the coaches box for the second half in Townsville where he was able to give valuable feedback.

“He’s pretty sore this morning, but we’ll get scans back in Sydney, then we’ll work out the severity of it,” Foran said.

“He’s in such a good frame of mind, mentally and physically, and he’s looked as good as I’ve seen him look, ever. Obviously I’m really shattered for him because he puts in so much hard work.

“But he’ll bounce back from this as fast as he can. I know he will.”

Trbojevic suffered the hamstring injury as he took a hit-up before he was tackled. The Manly junior had started the year in excellent form, especially the past few weeks after Foran took over from sacked coach Anthony Seibold.

Foran was grateful to have Trbojevic in his corner, or seated behind him, in the second half, and said: “It just shows you the team player he is, and the skipper he is. Him and Jake [Trbojevic] have both been phenomenal.

“For Tom to have that injury, and to be in a fair bit of discomfort, but to park that to the side, and want to come up to the box, and relay what he was seeing, it shows you the investment he has in the club and the team.

“He was relaying what he was seeing on a number of different fronts – we certainly turned to him for his engagements. He just understands the players really well, how blokes are travelling, and what we needed to do each set.

“It was a wonderful luxury. We want him on the field, it won’t be the case the next few weeks, but we gain an advantage having him in the box.”

Tolu Koula did a brilliant job seamlessly shifting to fullback, and will wear the No.1 in Trbojevic’s absence, starting with next Sunday’s clash at home against Parramatta.

Koula’s try-saving and physical tackle on Cowboys winger Braidon Burns late in the game was one of the standout moments.

The Cowboys’ ball control in the first half was atrocious, but Manly aimed up in defence, and looked better the longer the game went on, which they were always entitled to do with the possession.

It was the third straight triumph for Foran, who is making an irresistible case to keep the top job for the long haul. His stocks will rise if Manly continue to impress against Parramatta at 4 Pines Park next Sunday, followed by games against the Panthers, Broncos and Wests Tigers.

Foran insists the only change he has made since Seibold departed was making sure the players believed in themselves and each other.

The only time Foran lost his cool was when Lehi Hopoate crossed the tryline for what should have been a first-half hat-trick, only to bizarrely pass the ball to Brandon Wakeham.

“I don’t know what was going on there, but I know I was losing my s--- watching it,” Foran said.