From Potential to Prodigy: The Remarkable Rise of ‘Freak’ Tolu Koula Amidst Tom Trbojevic’s Setback

When Tom Trbojevic left the field in the 13th minute during Manly’s resounding win against the Cowboys, many Sea Eagles fans might have feared that the team’s impressive streak under interim coach Kieran Foran was coming to an end.

However, the fullback’s eighth hamstring injury across eight seasons ignited a fire in Manly’s backline, propelling them to dominate their opponents.

Manly had previously managed Trbojevic’s absence effectively after a head injury against the Dolphins, and they seemed to be following a similar playbook in this match.

They had already opened the scoring in the fourth minute thanks to Lehi Hopoate before Trbojevic’s injury, and they added three more tries before halftime, maintaining a shutout against the Cowboys in the second half, with tries from Taniela Paseka and Luke Brooks.

Upon Trbojevic’s exit, Tolu Koula moved to fullback, while young outside back Clayton Faulalo came off the bench to play centre.

Despite losing a player of Trbojevic’s calibre, Manly’s attack remained potent; in fact, his injury opened up opportunities for Koula to showcase the talent that has the club so excited. Over the past year, he has transformed from an energetic centre into a bona fide star, clinching all of the club’s major honours in 2025 and earning a lucrative contract extension that secures his future at the club until 2030.

This season, he has been exceptional, nearly leading the Sea Eagles to victory against the Raiders in round one by orchestrating a remarkable comeback that brought the match into golden point. On Friday night, he displayed his skill on both sides of the ball, meeting the lofty standards set by Trbojevic.

Koula excelled in attack and stunned with his defence, making two incredible try-saving tackles, notably pushing Braiden Burns over the sideline when the Cowboys winger seemed certain to score in the corner.

In what could have been the game’s turning point, Koula executed a remarkable stop against front-rower Thomas Mikaele, appearing out of nowhere to dislodge the ball from his grasp. This pivotal play was immediately followed by a long-range try from Manly, which allowed them to extend their lead to 16 before halftime.

Koula’s incredible stop denied Mikaele his first try in 93 NRL appearances and ultimately set the stage for Manly to score again shortly thereafter. Hopoate later assisted Brandon Wakeham for a try, expanding Manly’s lead to 22-6 by halftime.

“He’s incredible,” said teammate Reuben Garrick in an interview with Nine after the match, referring to Koula.

“He’s a natural athlete and gets better with every year he plays NRL. That try-saver was a key moment in the game.

“We went straight down and scored again after that. He’s on fire at the moment.”

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Koula has emerged as a standout performer for the Sea Eagles this year, validating the five-year contract extension the club offered him during the off-season, securing him for just under $1 million annually.

He was named the Sea Eagles’ player of the year in 2025, and the club has high expectations for the son of Tongan Olympic track athletes. His father competed in the 100m at the Barcelona, Atlanta, and Sydney Games, while his mother Ana was a long jumper and hurdler in Sydney. Koula himself clocked a time of 10.58 seconds in the 100m during high school.

Almost every week this season, Koula has been making headlines, and following his impressive performance in the final moments of round one, NRL legend Greg Alexander remarked that Manly’s strategy effectively turned into ‘give it to Tolu’.

“Manly’s strategy turned into ‘Let’s just give it to Tolu and see what he can do’ – he nearly single-handedly guided them to victory,” Alexander commented during a Fox League broadcast.

“Last year was fantastic for him. He swept all the awards at Manly… He has truly emerged as one of the real stars of our game, and his performance on Saturday night cemented that.”

Koula’s defensive feats against the Cowboys not only salvaged crucial moments but also underscored Manly’s newfound toughness on defence.

After the sacking of Anthony Seibold, which was prompted by the team’s inability to hold onto leads in the opening matches, Manly’s performances under Foran have shown significant improvement. They have conceded only 42 points across three games and managed to keep the Cowboys scoreless in the second half, even under the humid conditions in Townsville.

“That was a professional outing; 22-6 in the first half and 16-0 in the second,” noted Phil Gould during Nine’s coverage.

“Defensively, keeping the Cowboys to six points up there is an impressive achievement. To have lost Tom Trbojevic early on yet still perform so well is commendable. Every player contributed. Manly are definitely on the rise.”