Tom Trbojevic puts Kalyn Ponga to shame as Mal Meninga cops massive Nathan Cleary blow
Trbojevic has put his hand up to play for the Kangaroos despite injury concerns.
Manly star Tom Trbojevic has declared he will be fit and ready to play for the Kangaroos in the upcoming Pacific Championships. This week Mal Meninga's extended squad's backline stocks have dwindled, with the likes of Kalyn Ponga withdrawing to put his full attention into a pre-season with the Knights - although the situation may change after the NRL issued the Knights with a please explain.
Jacob Kiraz has also pulled out with a back injury, while Dylan Edwards is expected to miss the tournament with a knee issue. And despite the array of fullback talent in the NRL, the Kangaroos' No.1 jersey appears likely to remain with current fullback and captain James Tedesco. Although Meninga now could have another option, with Trbojevic confirming he will be fit and ready to play.
Trbojevic could play centre or fullback for the Kangaroos as he looks to return to the international fold for the first time in six years. The 27-year-old has been plagued throughout his career with various injuries, ranging from hamstring issues to shoulder complaints, which have wreaked havoc on not only his club career but also his representative career.
But the Manly No.1 reached the 20-game mark for the first time since 2018 this seaso. And despite the fullback still battling injuries this year as he was sidelined by an AC joint issue in the last weeks of the campaign, the 27-year-old says he wants to play for his country, putting to shame the likes of Ponga who have pulled out of the competition despite not being injured.
Meninga says he has spoken to the Sea Eagles star and says he is desperate to pull on the green and gold. "He hasn’t played for the Aussies for a while," Meninga told SEN. "But he’s chomping at the bit to put that green and gold jersey on which is wonderful news for us." Meninga heaped praise on Trbojevic following his efforts in the finals despite playing injured, labelling him as one of the modern-day greats of the game.
"He is one of our greatest players in our game and some say our best fullback," the coach told Fox League before naming him in the Australian squad. "But we all know in representative football you try to put all your best players in there and you try to fit them in the best you can. Tommy played right centre in 2018 and did a terrific job."
Ivan Cleary confirms Nathan Cleary will likely need surgery
But in another blow for the Australian side, Panthers coach Ivan Cleary confirmed his son Nathan will almost certainly require surgery on his shoulder at the end of the NRL season. That will likely leave Daly Cherry-Evans as the Kangaroos' chief halfback for the Pacific Championships.
Cleary is undergoing full training loads ahead of Penrith's grand final qualifier against Cronulla on Saturday night but he is still participating in rehabilitation, having missed three weeks on the run to finals with an AC joint injury. "It'd be highly likely he'll have surgery, I'd say," coach Cleary said.
"But we'll just get through what we need to do and weigh up the risks and options." Incumbent NSW halfback Mitch Moses is still recovering from biceps surgery, and it is unsure if he will be fit for the tournament despite being named in the extended Kangaroos squad.
Kalyn Ponga call looms as NRL awaits Knights' explanation
It is still unclear whether Ponga will feature as part of the Kangaroos squad, with the NRL still awaiting answers from the Knights on the matter. There are potential sanctions for the Knights or Ponga if he isn't made himself available for selection.
Meninga confirmed on Thursday the first he knew of Ponga's withdrawal was via Newcastle's statement, and the process had been what frustrated him the most. But the Kangaroos coach said he understands the fullback's position.
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"I think he wants to play for his country, but just at the moment that's not on his agenda," the Kangaroos coach said on SEN radio. "He wants to devote and repay the Knights for how they have stuck by him. I think that is a fair excuse. It's the process that we need to improve, we need to get better communication out of the clubs and players and vice versa, that process needs to improve."
