Tom Trbojevic to play fullback for Manly in 2025 NRL season

Tom Trbojevic will be playing at fullback for the Manly Sea Eagles in the 2025 NRL Premiership, with the veteran clearing up any doubt on Thursday about his role at the club this season.

No appearances for Trbojevic during the Pre-Season Challenge led to speculation about where the star would lineup in 2025, as the 28-year-old started at centre several times last year.

Both Trbojevic himself and coach Anthony Seibold confirmed on Thursday that he would be at the back in Round 1, however.

“I’ll be playing at one,” Trbojevic said.

“I think my best position is fullback and I feel like the way I finished last year showed that.

“I got a lot of confidence about the way I finished last year.

“It give me a lot of excitement going into this year to try and continue that.”

Trbojevic’s move to centre in 2024 came largely off the back of an injury suffered mid-season.

The Manly Sea Eagles back confirmed that there are no issues with his fitness heading into this year’s competition, despite his absence in all pre-season fixtures.

“The body’s good, obviously come back this year I got a good break over November, December and just trying to hit the ground running,” he said.

“I feel really good, we’re 11, 12 days away now from Round 1.

“It’s exciting. It’s a really exciting time to be a rugby league player and we can’t wait to get out there.

“I’m quite happy to go in without a trial.

“I feel like I get a lot out of training here, we train pretty intense and I was happy to go without a trial.”

Seibold echoed Trbojevic’s confidence about the decision to play him at fullback.

“He’ll play fullback, he’s our fullback, he’s an elite fullback,” Seibold said.

“If he’s not the best, he is certainly in the top two fullbacks in my opinion in the competition.

“I think everyone can see what he brings to our group when he plays, so really pleased with his preparation.

“He’s a really integral player in our group, not just as a player, as a leader, and I think Turbo’s at that stage of his career where he’s got real influence in our group.

“It was great to see him in the Australia jersey at the end of last year, I thought him and Tom Dearden were probably the two best performers for Australia.

“I was really pleased for Tom personally, and he brings back great confidence from that experience.”

Rugby league betting sites put the Sea Eagles on the fifth line of betting to win the title in 2025, with Marantelli Bet pricing the side at $15 to claim their ninth Premiership.

Top online bookmakers also favour them heading into their Round 1 match against the North Queensland Cowboys at 4 Pines Park on Saturday, March 8.

Manly pay $1.56 at BetOnline to begin their season with a victory, while the Cowboys are $2.45 underdogs.

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