Head of the Sydney Swans Academy, Chris Smith, has backed Manly star Tom Trbojevic to win the Dally M Medal but says the fullback had the talent to be a Brownlow Medallist if he stuck with AFL.
Trbojevic played AFL and rugby league in his teenage years, before turning his full attention to the Sea Eagles. Trbojevic was a standout in Australian Rules, spending time in the Swans Academy from the age of 14 until just before he turned 17.
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Trbojevic played a number of positions for the Swans during appearances in the state championships, representative games against GWS and a rep carnival in Albury.
“The coaches didn’t take long to realise the kid was a talent and he had the necessary character,” Smith told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“He had a really good attitude, was there to work, didn’t get distracted easy. He was a pretty mature kid and you could tell he was self-motivated, all those things you need.
“He learnt all areas of the game. There were times when he played as a defender, as a forward, as a midfielder. He had that athletic range, he had the ability to do that.
“I could see him running off the half-back [if he stuck with AFL], working off an opponent and providing run and drive, pushing that ball into the forward line. He’s big and strong, he could pick up big players and also pick up the smaller, mobile players.
“To be honest, it’s not a huge surprise to see the success he is achieving.”
The Swans weren’t able to sign Trbojevic until he had turned 18, by which time he had joined older brother Jake in the Sea Eagles system.
Smith said the Swans always felt the pull towards rugby league would be too strong for the code to retain Trbojevic.
“When he got into that senior-type environment, he had to make a decision,” Smith said.
“I reckon he would have scratched his head for 60 seconds because Manly were right into him from when he was a young junior.
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