Trbojevic Shines Afresh, Silencing Self-Doubt Once and For All
Tom Trbojevic states that having an unusually continuous off-season has enabled him to dispel self-doubt and restore his faith in both his gameplay and physical condition.
Among the NRL's most unfortunate athletes, Trbojevic issued a significant caution to the remaining teams during Manly’s first-match thrashing of North Queensland.
The Sea Eagles' fullback played a part in four tries, managing to set up two scores starting from deep within his own territory, which quickly drew parallels to his performance in 2021.
The No.1 will similarly make an appearance in Auckland on Friday, acting as a key adversary for the Warriors. In his last five encounters with the team, he has been involved in setting up 10 tries and has personally crossed the try line five times.
Trbojevic thinks his performance in round one was due to having his most delayed end-of-season period recently, even though he remained healthy and effective while playing for Australia in November.
The three Test matches for Australia were his first taste of international soccer since 2018, the last time he wore the Kangaroos jersey.
This starkly contrasts with much of Trbojevic's recent campaigns, during which he endured a tough spell marred by injuries, requiring rehabilitation for portions of his summers.
"My most recent match took place around mid-November. In prior years, it typically occurred in June or July," Trbojevic stated to aynur1015.blogspot.com.
That period in between has certainly been beneficial for me. It’s just as much about mindset as it is about physiology.
The ability to start training early allowed me to get off to a strong beginning. This aspect significantly boosts my confidence as we head into the match.
Ever since Trbojevic played for the Kangaroos during the 2018 post-season, he has experienced just one undisturbed preparatory season since then.
In the 2019 pre-season, he sustained a torn hamstring and was unable to complete that season due to a pectoral injury just before the finals.
Trbojevic's progress in 2020 hit a snag when he suffered a torn hamstring in June. He attempted a comeback later in the season but ended up injuring his shoulder instead.
Although the fullback recovered from a pre-season hamstring injury to have an impressive Dally M year in 2021, Trbojevic encountered season-ending injuries in both 2022 and 2023.
However, following his performance which he viewed as one of his finest in Manly’s push towards the playoffs last season, Trbojevic mentioned that it had restored his faith in his physical capabilities.
The 28-year-old stated, 'I believe that’s simply part of recovering from an injury.'
You clearly put in the effort to push through it, but it simply requires time for your mind to feel ready.
It's crucial to get rid of that self-doubt about yourself, which makes it beneficial to start afresh in round one.
