The NRL has denied Manly’s request to cut Tom Trbojevic’s salary by a whopping $750,000 across the next two seasons, stating it would set a dangerous precedent. According to the SMH’s
Michael Chammas, the superstar fullback approached the Sea Eagles board about taking a massive pay cut so the club
could sign rival talent to boost Manly’s chances of breaking their premiership drought.
The injury-riddled Trbojevic reportedly approached the Sea Eagles board and proposed that he forego a portion of his
$1.1 million annual salary, due to him playing less than 30 games since the start of the 2022 season. The 2021 Dally M
winner – who has struggled with hamstring injuries throughout his career – is on track this year to play the most
games he has in a campaign since 2018 despite missing almost two months with a hamstring issue.
If Trbojevic remains fit and plays the final two games of the regular season against the Bulldogs and Sharks, he will have featured in 19 NRL games in 2024.
That number, barring injury, would then at least grow to 20 as Manly are assured of a top-eight finish.
But Trbojevic reportedly feels guilty that he has taken up such a slice of the Sea Eagles’ salary cap space in recent years
and wants to cut his pay packet, with the extra funds to go towards boosting underpaid players’ salaries and also
helping to lure rival talent to the club. But the NRL shut down the Sea Eagles’ proposal, believing it could set a
dangerous precedent. Speaking on Monday night’s NRL 360, The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield said Sea Eagles
CEO Tony Mestrov insisted it was entirely Trbojevic’s idea and wasn’t in any way prompted by the club
