NRL icon Paul Gallen has made a compelling suggestion regarding Tom Trbojevic's position at the Manly Sea Eagles, highlighting ongoing injury concerns that may signal the approach of retirement.
Trbojevic has battled a series of hamstring injuries since 2019, tallying nine total incidents, with four affecting his left leg and five his right.
He faced an eight-week absence due to a severe tear but returned just four weeks ago, only to sustain another injury to his opposite hamstring this past Sunday.
The Sea Eagles remain optimistic about his return for Round 23, having received encouraging news from scans indicating only a minor strain.
Last season, Trbojevic briefly occupied the right centre position upon his recovery from injury to mitigate the strain on his body, yet he quickly reverted to fullback, where he has now re-injured his hamstring twice within a year.
When at full strength, Trbojevic showcases extraordinary talent and is one of the sport's most formidable players; however, recurring injuries since his stellar 2021 Dally M season have prompted discussions about a permanent positional shift to centre to lessen his physical demands.
"I think he's at a stage where he's got to take a real look at his career and where he's going to be when he comes back," he said on Nine's 100% Footy.
"Where he was in 2021 when he won the Dally M compared to where he's been since then, it's chalk and cheese."
"I personally think he's going to have to move to the centres. For his career and going forward for him to play as much football as he can, he's going to have to reduce the amount of kilometres he runs, and for me that's from moving out of fullback."