On Sunday afternoon at Brookvale Oval, I think the entire NRL community was expecting to see a fresh Turbo, coming off a week’s rest for a tight hamstring, ready to carve up Parramatta. But before we knew it, he was hobbling and could hardly run. It was later revealed that he had suffered an MCL injury, which will keep him out for the next month—another all-too-familiar scenario for Turbo and the Manly Sea Eagles. Quite frankly, it was outrageous that he stayed on as long as he did, considering he was running slower than me on a treadmill at the gym trying to work off the 12 beers I had the night before.
Turbo’s injury history ranges from hamstrings to pecs, shoulders, knees, and just about everywhere else. Unfortunately, I just don’t think we’ll ever see a fully fit Turbo for an extended period of time.
From the start of the 2019 season to the end of 2024, Turbo played just 75 games across 6 seasons, averaging only 12.5 games a year. Given he’s on approximately $1.1 million a season, that’s just too much for someone who plays about half a season. A fit and firing Tommy Turbo is worth about $3 million a year and is easily the best player in the game. You can’t help but feel sorry for him every time he goes down injured, because he seems like a legend of a bloke, and there were even reports that he took a pay cut to stay at Manly last year due to his injury history.
You know that Turbo will do right by Manly and take a haircut on his next contract. But what should Manly do? Do they go all in on young gun Lehi Hopoate, or keep Turbo on a reduced contract? And what does a reduced contract look like for him? I’d recommend something along the lines of an Origin-style match payment contract, but that would never be allowed under the salary cap.
Truthfully, $500k-$600k a year for Turbo is still better than half of the ridiculous contracts some players are getting these days. Let’s just hope he stays fit for the rest of the year and gives the competition a shake with Manly towards the back end of the season, because the bloke’s a freak.
