While he never doubted he would be ready if selected for the Blues, Tom Trbojevic admits his hat-trick for the Sea Eagles in Round 12 provided a handy confidence boost ahead of arriving in Origin camp this week.
After an at times frustrating start to 2023, in which he concedes he wasn’t playing well enough in some games, the 26-year-old enjoyed his best showing of the year against the Raiders last Sunday, scoring three tries and running for 245 metres in the 42-14 win at GIO Stadium.
“It was great to put in a performance like that. Obviously it gives me a little bit of confidence going into this week,” Trbojevic said.
“I knew I felt really good… but obviously in footy you are judged on the way you play and if you aren’t playing well then you want to play well.
“It was good in that [respect] to be able to play a good game and get a good win.
“I spoke to Freddy after the game [Sunday] night, wearing this jersey is pretty special, I grew up watching this game and loving everybody that played in it.
Turbos combine
“To be back wearing this jersey means a lot to me.”
His selection in Brad Fittler's squad for the Origin opener in Adelaide comes after he missed the 2022 series through injury.
While debate has raged this year regarding Trbojevic's fitness – following his latest hamstring issues which saw him head to the USA this pre-season to work with rehab and conditioning expert Bill Knowles – the fullback believes he is back to 100 percent.
“I feel like I am. It feels like people can look at me and work out what percent I am running at, but I definitely feel really good,” he said.
“I didn’t really doubt myself. It does wear down on you a little bit, all the external commentary, you can’t really escape it these days.
“That’s just part of it and something I have had just had to come to accept.
“I wouldn’t say it was hurting me. It’s more you are getting commentary on how your body is feeling and people telling you, ‘He’s not right’, et cetera, when you know you feel good within yourself.
That stuff can be a little bit frustrating, but I understand I wasn’t playing well enough, so I guess it comes on the back of it.
Tom Trbojevic
Blues coach Brad Fittler meanwhile admitted on Monday that selecting Trbojevic was a risk given his injury struggles of late, but said he was always part of his plans for 2023.
"Tommy is always on the radar. He's a quality player and a quality person so it was only a matter of time,” Fittler said.
“You just have to gamble that Tommy is fit and ready.
“Very rarely has he ever let us down, so I'd say we had him pencilled in with a very heavy lead pencil.”
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