Tom Trbojevic Offered a Two-Year Deal by Manly as the Sea Eagles Also Move to Keep Lehi Hopoate
Manly have offered Tom Trbojevic a two-year deal so the Kangaroos star can finish his career at the club, the Sydney Morning Herald reported on Thursday. The Herald said the offer is worth about $1.75 million.
The Sea Eagles have also offered a two-year extension to Lehi Hopoate, the 21-year-old seen as a long-term fullback option, and are in talks to keep forward Caleb Navale.
Why two years
The last contract Trbojevic signed was for one season. Manly hope a second year will end the talk about his future. The club told the Herald the deal reflects how highly it rates him while staying responsible with its money, because injuries have limited him to 70 games in five years.
Trbojevic has always said he wants to finish his career at Manly. He once tried to take a pay cut because of the games he had missed, and the NRL did not allow it, the Herald and Zero Tackle reported.
One of 11 Kangaroos on the market
Trbojevic is one of 11 Australian internationals who have been free agents since 1 November. The others are Jack Bostock, Bradman Best, Sam Walker, Latrell Mitchell, Cameron Munster, Harry Grant, James Tedesco, Isaah Yeo, Liam Martin and David Fifita. Manly have also been linked with Grant, as our report on his Storm option covers.
The 30-year-old is tied with New Zealand’s Casey McLean for the most tries at the World Cup, the Herald said, though he has had some defensive lapses playing on the wing, a position he is not used to. He is named on the wing for Sunday’s semi-final against Samoa.
Hopoate and the fullback spot after Turbo
Hopoate is off contract at the end of 2027, according to Zero Tackle. He is wearing the No.1 jersey for Tonga at this World Cup, and Tonga play New Zealand in the first semi-final in Newcastle on Saturday, the game Kalyn Ponga is trying to get fit for.
Since his debut in 2024, Hopoate has played 43 NRL games on the wing, 32 at fullback, five at centre and two off the bench, the Herald reported. He and Toluta’u Koula, who has settled in the centres, are the two long-term options once Trbojevic retires. Manly have also re-signed brothers Ashton and Onitoni Large until the end of 2029.
Who could leave Manly
The Sea Eagles are not expected to spend big on the open market unless they move some contracted players on. The Herald said Manly will honour the deals of Luke Brooks, Jamal Fogarty and Ethan Bullimore, but will not stand in their way if they find a long-term contract elsewhere. Blake Wilson was granted an early release last week to join the Perth Bears.
Trbojevic has not commented on the offer. His focus this week is Sunday’s semi-final, and the World Cup table has how Australia got there.
