Sea Eagles, NSW and Kangaroos great Max Krilich believes Manly's Trbojevic brothers have what it takes to be the lynchpin of successful Blues and Manly sides for the next 10 or more years.
The passionate Sea Eagle has praised not just the football ability but quality of character of the pair, who he said were set for long interstate and possibly international careers while also leading Manly into a bright new future alongside the likes of Daly Cherry-Evans.
While Tom has been denied an Origin debut in the short term by an ankle injury suffered in a nasty tackle when Manly played Brisbane last week, Krilich said it was simply a matter of time before both brothers wear the sky blue.
"Both of them, they'll be stalwarts for NSW for a long, long time," Krilich told NRL.com.
"They'll be around the Australian side as well. I think Tommy will be in the Australian side in the next few years as a fullback and they'll both be playing for NSW for the next 10 years.
"They're fantastic, they're two young lads who play the game terrifically well and have been brought up very well by their parents. They are models for every young footballer to look at and say 'I wish I could be like them'."
It is not just the Blues who will benefit from the classy brothers' services into the future, according to Krilich – the pair are just what the doctor ordered for a Manly side coming off its first season out of the finals zone in a decade.
"Manly have bought a lot of young players and they will come through and it will be like the Stewart boys (Brett and Glenn) and [Anthony] Watmough and Jamie Lyon and Steve Matai and those guys in a few years.
"You had half a dozen of these very good players. Now we've got these two Trbojevic boys to go with a lot of these other young fellas coming through and Cherry-Evans as well. They'll be a very good side for a number of years, they're going to get better and better and better."
The Manly roster has undergone major surgery over the past two seasons given the departure and retirement of the above-mentioned veterans, along with plenty of other players being recruited or moved on by coach Trent Barrett and head of football Bob Fulton.
Krilich said Fulton – one of Manly's best ever players and Krilich's predecessor as club captain back in the 70s – has done what was necessary at the club.
"Fulton got in there and took control of the situation," Krilicjh said.
"Had to get rid of a lot of players. Probably some people don't like what he did but it had to be done and I give him great credit for doing that.
"He'll be able to build a side around those Trbojevic boys and Cherry-Evans now. Blake Green's going very well as well, he's older as we know but you need some age in your side as well. Dylan Walker's played very well. They're going to get better."
