Boom Manly youngster Tom Trbojevic says a troublesome ongoing high ankle sprain won't impact his performances week to week, even if it will require surgery at the end of the season.
The 19-year-old fullback has been shifted into the centres in recent times due to a number of injuries in the outside backs, including a season-ending neck complaint to veteran Steve Matai, but despite playing out of his usual position and carrying a niggle, has continued to be one of his side's most impressive performers.
In last week's narrow 30-26 loss in Townsville, the former NYC prodigy showed few ill-effects from his ankle complaint, racking up a team-high 190 running metres with two line breaks and a try assist.
"I've got a bit of an ankle injury but it's right to play, I'll be sweet to go. It's all good," the Mona Vale junior said.
"It's just like a high ankle sprain, an ongoing kind of injury. I've got to work with the physio and all the rehab teams just to work throughout the week and get it right for every weekend.
"I'll need to probably go under the knife at the end of the year but hopefully I don't have to do it any time soon."
Of his recent shift to the centres, he said he was enjoying the challenge – after coming to grips to the increased defensive requirements.
"I am [enjoying it] – it's a different challenge playing in the centres but I'm really enjoying it," he said.
"I'm happy to play anywhere. If 'Baz' [coach Trent Barrett] wants to throw me into the centres like he did, I'm enjoying it.
"It was a bit [of a challenge in defence] at the start but you get used to it I guess. You work with the coaching staff down here and they make it a lot easier."
Trbojevic admitted this Monday's clash with the Dragons was a do or die encounter.
"We haven't been putting in the performances the last few weeks and we haven't been getting the results so we'll be looking to turn that around Monday night against the Dragons," he said.
"I think it is getting to that stage right now where we do need to keep winning and if we want to make finals footy – and that's what we all want to do, we all play footy to make the finals – we need to keep winning so we'll be focusing on that this week and hopefully we can get the two points."
