Better than Cleary and Tedesco: Tom Trbojevic’s former coach says he’s best in NRL

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Tom Trbojevic’s former coach Trent Barrett has settled the debate: the Manly superstar is the best player in the NRL.

As Barrett prepares to face his old club as a head coach for the first time, the Canterbury boss delivered a huge compliment to the “prototype” 24-year-old, whose white-hot form has propelled Manly into the finals mix and helped NSW seal the Origin series.

Tom Trbojevic has been lauded as the best player in the NRL by former coach Trent Barrett.Credit:Getty Images

Trbojevic, his NSW teammate James Tedesco and Penrith gun Nathan Cleary, who is hoping to avoid season-ending shoulder surgery, all have claims to be the best in the game at the moment.

But Barrett has made his opinion clear.

Trbojevic and under-fire Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans will return from Origin duties for the match, which has the Sea Eagles listed as one of the shortest-priced favourites all season.

The Bulldogs will debut Falakiko Manu, Bailey Biondi-Odo and Chris Patolo after a tumultuous week in which the club has had to do without established first-graders Dylan Napa, Brandon Wakeham, Aaron Schoupp, Sione Katoa and Corey Waddell.

I would go out and say he’s the best player in the comp at the moment – and rightly so

The five attended a Bondi pub after their loss to the Eels a fortnight ago, which was against an NRL directive not to attend venues in the Waverley area. The pub was later listed as a COVID-19 exposure site.

The Bulldogs are likely to appeal a monster $50,000 fine from the NRL, which alleged the club didn’t effectively communicate the NRL biosecurity instructions.

Barrett said the players had apologised for their actions, which has punctuated a disrupted build-up. The club also lost Nick Cotric (turf toe) to a potentially season-ending injury after an innocent training accident.

“I’ve spoken to the five players and they’re obviously disappointed,” Barrett said. “They feel as though it’s put us in a bit of a position, put it that way. They are very disappointed with it.

“We’ve got to move on pretty quickly from a playing perspective, but we’re certainly disappointed we can’t field the team we were going to field and it’s a bit of undue stress on the club. Hopefully it’s a lesson for everyone else we need to do the right thing.

“[But] someone’s misfortune is another bloke’s opportunity.”

Halfback Kyle Flanagan has been recalled in place of Wakeham after spending the last two games in NSW Cup following an emotional press conference when he was benched in the Dragons game.

It was also the last NRL game for Corey Allan, who will return on the wing.

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