Male star Jake Trbojevic confesses he could not understand the infamous Pride Jersey boycott and says it will be difficult for NRL to hold the Pride round in 2023 – as teammates reveal how they have tried to close the gap in the team to recover
Sea Eagles lock Jake Trbojevic was rocked by boycott of proud jerseys last week
Seven male players refused to wear jersey, quit Roosters match
Trbojevic and Kieran Foran insist the team be united and push for a spot in the final
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Sea Eagles star Jake Trbojevic has admitted that the now infamous boycott of the pride jersey by seven of his NRL teammates has left him confused, but insists the squad is now over the rift it caused.
Manly’s rainbow-themed jersey for the round 20 game against the Sydney Roosters was intended to promote inclusion, but instead left the team divisive.
Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Haumole Olakau’atu, Tolutau Koula and Toafofoa Sipley have been named to return and will face arch rivals Parramatta on Friday, while Josh Aloiai is injured.
Young shooter Josh Schuster was not named in Des Hasler’s 17-man roster.
The seven players missed last week when they withdrew because the pride jersey went against their religious and cultural beliefs.
Sea Eagles star Jake Trbojevic (pictured center) has admitted the boycott of the pride jersey by seven of his NRL teammates confused him, but insists the playgroup is now united
Josh Aloiai was one of seven Manly players to miss last week’s clash against the Roosters after collectively feeling the pride jersey was inconsistent with their religious and cultural beliefs
It soon developed into an ugly saga, with Hasler being forced to offer an emotional apology on behalf of the club alongside skipper Daly Cherry-Evans.
“My main thing is footy… so in the beginning it was hard to understand, but we have a very clear understanding of it (now) and I feel really comfortable with it,” Trbojevic said.
In recent days, the Sea Eagles have completed several mediation sessions, with five-eighth Kieran Foran confirming that they “went well.”
Before the playgroup got together, Trbojevic met Aloiai one on one.
“Me and Josh get along really well, we told each other what made sense,” Trbojevic said.
The players now insist that there are no cracks or lingering resentments.
“It’s all settled, we’ve talked about it,” said winger Reuben Garrick.
Jason Saab was another of seven Manly players boycotting the game against the Roosters because the club’s rainbow jersey did not reflect his beliefs
“We’ve had those conversations. It was about letting them know how we felt and telling us how they felt and that we should respect decisions.”
Foran also stated that he was “more than happy” to don the pride jersey, based on his personal beliefs.
He does not expect any further dramas on training or on match day.
“We are definitely a united club. We’re over it, it’s resolved, we’ve met a number of times now and we’re focused on the year ahead,” Foran said.
Despite the rainbow jersey saga that divided footy fans, many Manly fans still showed their support on the ground last week
Footy fans who recognized the Sea Eagles are all about being inclusive and diverse
“They’ve been some of our best players all year, they’ve done a great job this season, they’re an essential part of this football team and they’re our brothers.”
Manly is in 10th place on the NRL ladder and will need to win the majority of their remaining five matches if they are to make the final footy.
The NRL would consider introducing a full pride round for all 16 clubs next year, but given Manly’s jersey backfired dramatically, the move could face resistance.
“It would probably be difficult based on how things went this year,” Trbojevic said.