Paul Gallen Critiques Tom Trbojevic for ‘Lack of Resilience’ Following Sea Eagles’ Shocking Defeat in Auckland

Just a week ago, Tom Trbojevic showcased his skills against the Cowboys so impressively that rugby league icon Andrew Johns suggested he ought to be the NSW fullback for this year’s State of Origin series.

However, fellow former Blues representative Paul Gallen has since raised doubts about the Manly fullback’s ability to excel under pressure.

Trbojevic opened the scoring with an early try in Auckland on Friday night, but commentators observed that he faded from the game in the second half as the Warriors stunned the Sea Eagles with a 36-16 victory.

The dynamic No.1 made four handling errors while Manly faltered at Mt Smart Stadium.

“The thing with Turbo is, as phenomenal a player as he is—and he truly is, I’m not trying to undermine that—he seems to lack a bit of resilience,” Gallen remarked on Saturday during an interview with 2GB’s Continuous Call Team.

“When things go awry or if he’s not at his best, his body language tells a story, and that was very evident last night.”

This critique comes shortly after Blues legend Johns advocated for Trbojevic to don the No.1 jersey for the Origin campaign this year.

Former NSW coach Phil Gould labelled it a “travesty” that Trbojevic—who has battled injuries and has played only 10 Origin matches throughout his career—has yet to step onto the field as fullback for his state.

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The Sea Eagles had an impressive start against North Queensland in round one; however, they faced a harsh reality in their match against the Warriors, who celebrated a significant victory at home.

“A week back, I would have bet on either Penrith, Storm, or Broncos to win the competition,” Gallen stated on Saturday.

“The Panthers have evened the competition, and so has Manly.

“We were discussing Manly’s chances of winning the title last week… if they lose Turbo, they’re in trouble.

“Without (Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans), they will find it tough. They rely heavily on Cherry-Evans for direction and on Turbo for that X-factor.”

Fortunately for Manly, it seems that both Cherry-Evans and Trbojevic came away with only minor injuries from Friday night’s match.

Up next, the Sea Eagles will take on Canberra in round three.