Green with envy: Trbojevic backs Warriors
Manly Sea Eagles star Jake Trbojevic is not surprised how well his former team-mate Blake Green has done at the Warriors.
Trbojevic was in Auckland yesterday to help promote the Kangaroos’ game against Tonga at Mt Smart Stadium on October 20.
But ahead of Saturday’s NRL elimination final game between the Warriors and Panthers at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, Trbojevic was asked about the impact Green has made at the Warriors this season and said he’d been outstanding. ‘‘He was like that when he played for Manly,’’ he said.
‘‘I knew he’d do a good job like that and he really complements Shaun Johnson well.
‘‘Shaun is playing some of his best footy alongside Greeny and he is someone who helps other players play well, because he is calm, a good leader and knows the game really well.
‘‘The results have shown he’s done a great job this year.’’
Green has arguably been Johnson’s best halves partner at the Warriors. It was supposed to be the dream team last season when Kieran Foran joined the club on a one-year deal to team up with Johnson, but Foran was rarely at his best while at the Warriors.
This season Green has taken care of a lot of the organising, which has allowed Johnson to be at his creative best.
Trbojevic has also noted how well Peta Hiku, another former Sea Eagles team-mate of his, has gone at the Warriors.
Hiku was dumped by Trent Barrett when he became Sea Eagles coach at the end of the 2015 season.
Hiku spent a season-anda-half at the Panthers and then a short stint at Warrington, but it was only when came to the Warriors that he rediscovered his best form.
‘‘Peta is one of those guys who
‘‘He is someone who helps other players play well, because he is calm, a good leader and knows the game really well.’’
Jake Trbojevic on Blake Green
is a real natural footy player and you can put him in any position out there,’’ Trbojevic said.
‘‘He’s real quality and he’s playing some of his best footy and it’s awesome to watch.’’
As for Saturday’s blockbuster, Trbojevic knows the Panthers can be a dangerous side, but feels the Warriors can go deep in the playoffs.
‘‘The Warriors are playing some great footy,’’ he said.
‘‘I’ve taken a lot of interest in them this year.
‘‘Blake has been obviously doing a great job over here, he’s been really good to watch and they’re playing really good footy.
‘‘If they get a roll on, they can cause some real damage in the finals.
‘‘Against Penrith this week, it will be a tough match but they beat them a couple of weeks ago and they’ll take a lot of confidence from that.’’
As for the test against Tonga at Mt Smart Stadium next month, Trbojevic said the Kangaroos players didn’t have any issue about taking a pay cut to make the game happen.
Australian players usually get paid $20,000 per test, but in order to make that test a viable proposition, they agreed to a $5000 match fee for it.
‘‘Everyone was happy to do that,’’ he said.
‘‘Everyone wants to play for their country. You don’t worry about what you’re getting paid when you’re out there.
‘‘It’s the pinnacle of the game for us whenever anyone gets to wear the jersey, there’s a lot of pride.
‘‘To play for Australia means everything. It’s the No 1 thing you can achieve in the game.’’