On Monday November 24 2025 the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles proudly announced that Tom Trbojevic has been appointed Captain for the 2026 NRL season.
A homegrown talent and one of the game’s elite players, Trbojevic takes on the role just weeks after extending his contract with the Club.
Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold is confident Tom will embrace the role.
''Tom leads through his actions on and off the field'' Mr. Seibold said, “On the field he is an elite player who has a big influence on team performance.
“Off the field, not only is he highly respected by his teammates but he is a highly regarded member of the local community.
“I know he’ll do a great job as captain.”
Trbojevic said he is excited to lead the team into a new season.
“This means a lot to me, and I’m thrilled to take on the captaincy,” Tom said.
“It’s a privilege and I feel very honoured to take on the role. It’s a proud moment.”
“The next few months of pre-season will be tough but it’s an exciting time for all of us as we prepare for the new season.”
In a media interview after the announcement Tom said while the captaincy announcement won't impact his future plans, it provides added motivation in his quest for a maiden NRL premiership.
"I’ve always said when I’m playing NRL I want to play here, obviously having grown up in this area I always wanted to put on the colours and I want to do it to the best of my ability," he said. "I signed for another year, which is great, but that’s what we want to do.''
"We want to win a premiership and I haven’t been able to do that. I’m back into pre-season this week and that’s what we’re working towards. ''
"It’s the ultimate motivation and the reality is there are 17 teams standing here together that want to achieve it. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us and we’ve got lots to grow from what we produced last year. That’s the ultimate goal, we would definitely love to do it but there’s a lot of hard work to do that."
Tom returned for pre-season training on Monday, along with a handful of other players including key recruit, Jamal Fogarty.
Thomas Peter Trbojevic (born 2 October 1996), also nicknamed "Turbo", is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a fullback for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League (NRL) and as a centre for Australia at international level.
He played as a centre for the Australia team that won the 2024 Rugby League Pacific Championship. He has played for New South Wales at State of Origin level as a centre and winger and has represented the Prime Minister's XIII as a centre.
Tom played his junior rugby league for the Mona Vale Juniors, the Raiders, before being signed by the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.
Tom during his Mona Vale Raiders years.
As well as playing rugby union, Trbojevic played Australian rules from the age of 12 and was in the Sydney Swans AFL Academy between the ages of 14 and 17, crediting this experience with improving his aerial game.
Despite being busy playing for Australia in junior representative rugby league teams, Tom gained an ATAR of 94.3 in his HSC at Pittwater High School, achieving the top band for 2 and 3-unit mathematics in 2014. He studied a double degree in Applied Finance and Economics at Macquarie University.
In 2014 and 2015, Tom played for the Manly-Warringah in their NYC side, playing 32 games, scoring 41 tries. In June 2014, he played for the New South Wales Under-18s team. In September 2014, he re-signed with Manly on a two-year contract.
Tom started 2015 playing fullback for Manly's NYC team and crossed for 4 tries in the opening game of the season against the Parramatta Eels at Pirtek Stadium. He continued to play a starring role in the Under 20's as Manly won its first four games of the season until injuries forced first grade coach Geoff Toovey to promote him to make his NRL debut on the wing for Manly-Warringah in their round 5 game against the Canberra Raiders at the Lavington Sports Ground in Albury in country NSW. Although Manly ultimately lost the game 29-16, Trbojevic scored a try with only his second touch of the ball and later crossed for his second try on debut. Unfortunately, a high ankle injury suffered in the following round against the Penrith Panthers side-lined him for a number of weeks.
In April, along with older brother Jake and fellow local junior Clint Gutherson, Tom extended his contract with Manly from the end of 2016 to the end of 2017.
He and brother Jake were called into the New South Wales squad before Game 3 of the 2016 State of Origin series as development players. He would go on to score 10 tries for the Sea Eagles after taking over from Brett Stewart at fullback (following season ending knee surgery to Stewart). On 7 September he was named as the Roy Bull Best and Fairest for the Sea Eagles 2016 season.
Photo: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
In 2017 he earned an Australian jersey, playing 2 games in the World Cup and scoring 1 try. In 2018 he made the NSW team and won the series 2-1 with his brother Jake. Trbojevic played in all three of the New South Wales Blues games on the wing scoring two tries. At the end of the 2018 season, he played two test matches for Australia against New Zealand and Tonga playing in the centres where he scored two tries.
Tom was selected to play for New South Wales in Game 2 of the 2019 State of Origin series. In the June 23 game, Trbojevic scored a hat-trick as New South Wales defeated Queensland 38-6 at the new Perth Stadium. Trbojevic was retained for Game 3 of the 2019 State of Origin series which was won by New South Wales 26-20 at ANZ Stadium. It was the first time since 2005 that New South Wales had won back to back series.
In 2021 Tom capped a spectacular 2021 season by being crowned the 2021 Dally M Medal winner in Brisbane. He finished 2021 by winning the Brad Fittler Medal as the best NSW player for the 2021 State of Origin series.
Family bond...Tom Trbojevic shares his Dally M Medal win with proud brothers Jake and Ben. Photo: NRL Media/ Getty images
Tom declared himself available for selection for Australia in the 2024 Pacific Championships and Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga wasted no time in selecting him. In his first time playing for Australia since 2018, Turbo would play all three of Australia's games in the championships in the centres. He scored a 70 metre intercept try in the opening 18–0 win over Tonga at in Brisbane (easily out-pacing young Manly team mate and Tongan fullback Lehi Hopoate during the run, as well as the rest of the Tongan defence), then ran for over 200 metres against New Zealand in a 22–10 win in Christchurch.
In the Final of the Pacific Championships against Tonga at home in Sydney, Trbojevic scored two tries and had two more disallowed by the bunker in the three minutes before halftime as Australia wrapped up the series with a 20–14 win.
Tom Trbojevic in his Kangaroos jersey
Tom played 18 games for Manly in the 2025 NRL season and the club finished 10th on the table, missing the finals. On October 28, Manly announced that Trbojevic had re-signed with the club until the end of 2027.
Photo: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Tom is of Serbian descent and brother of fellow Manly Warringah Sea Eagles players Jake Trbojevic and Ben Trbojevic. Another brother, Luke, is not involved with the NRL.
In November 2024 Tom announced his engagement to partner Kristi Wilkinson.
Earlier this year Tom revealed heartbreak when he learned of the passing of 12-year-old super-fan Beau Hewitt.
'Turbo' had dedicated a 'thumbs up' try celebration to Beau during the 2024 Season which became a key marker for the Raiders during this most recent Season.
Beau was a member and player at both the Raiders and Narrabeen JRLFC.
Beau passed away from Stage 4 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma on Tuesday March 18 2025, sparking a flood of tributes and an outpouring of support to his family from around our community and the league world.
The Hewitt family will have a difficult Christmas this year with his beautiful smile and chatter missing from the family table.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the parents and family of Beau Hewitt,” the Sea Eagles wrote, a sentiment which will form part of community reaching out to hug community this holiday season too.
The Trbojevic brothers, Tom Jake and Ben, made numerous visits to Beau in hospital and to the Hewitt home.
“When we would visit him, we’d see a kid who had so much going against him but was still so happy to see us and talk footy. It puts so much perspective on life. We would go around to his house in Narrabeen and try to help him in his battle. The family told us six weeks ago he didn’t have much time left but he was still so talkative. I feel for his family.” Tom said earlier this year.
The Sea Eagles dedicated their next game to Beau with his parents and brother their special guests.
In May this year the Raiders hosted the Inaugural Beau Hewitt Cup between themselves and Narrabeen - a tradition set to continue.
The 2025 Beau Hewitt Cup family, which includes the Hewitts. Photo Mona Vale Raiders
The last local born in Mona Vale Hospital and raised here in Pittwater Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Captain was Tom's brother Jake Trbojevic, who led the Sea Eagles in 2016 for 8 games.
The Trbojevic boys have long been giving back to their community, a trait their parents, John and Melissa, instilled in them. In fact, Tom called his mum and dad and his 'missus' first with the news.
Although this community-spirit may be embedded in footy, all four boys are highly intelligent, and have a range of interests that extend beyond the paddock.
This report by Brian Friend OAM, from July 2017, shares just one of thousands of small and big daily kindnesses this great young man and Trbojevic men, who are from and definitely For and About community:
