Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Tom Trbojevic will miss Saturday’s trip to Perth after Manly medical staff decided the long flight risked aggravating his injured hamstring.
Trbojevic was back running in training last week and was keen to return against Melbourne after breaking down in the match against the Gold Coast Titans last month.
The Sea Eagles must beat the Storm to stay in touch with the top eight, and welcoming back their star No.1 would have been an enormous boost against a Storm side already missing some big guns including Cameron Munster and Harry Grant.
But the club’s medical staff, along with Trbojevic and coach Kieran Foran, made the call on Monday afternoon to play it safe. Adding to the club’s concern was that Trbojevic would have had to return home on a five-hour flight and potentially back up against the Dolphins at home six days later.
“We’ll hold ‘Turbo’ back another week, and the travel has a bit do to with it,” Foran said on Monday night.
“He was touch and go anyway. He’s running well, and ticking all the boxes, but the reality is it’s a risk we’re not prepared to take.
“There’s the flight, and we also come back and play the Dolphins on a Friday night. We’re pretty confident he’ll be right then. He’s close, but it’s one of these ones, based on his [hamstring] history, we can’t be short-sighted with it. We have to look after him.”
Trbojevic has suffered nine hamstring injuries the past eight seasons, but brings a presence every time he runs out in the maroon and white.
Tom’s younger brother Ben will also miss the Storm game because of concussion. Ben Trbojevic was knocked out more than 11 days ago against Cronulla, which meant he was free to return under the game’s concussion protocols, but Foran said the back-rower needed the extra recovery time having suffered several previous head knocks.
In brighter news, Manly welcome back Corey Waddell (ankle) and Brandon Wakeham (calf) for the game at HBF Park.
Meanwhile, Penrith have been dealt a blow with centre Casey McLean undergoing an operation on his hand late Monday, and will miss the next couple of weeks – games against third-laced the Warriors and second-placed Roosters. Dylan Edwards is expected to be named but unlikely to feature in Auckland on Friday. Izack Tago is expected to come into the centres.
