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Smith's return cut short while Seibold hints at permanent Turbo switch
Sam Kosack • July 6th, 2025 8:53 pm
Wayne Bennett has confirmed Brandon Smith will be out for 6-8 weeks after suffering a medial ligament injury in his side’s 30-12 loss to the Manly Sea Eagles.
Smith was returning from an ACL injury suffered in Round 26, 2024, 308 games since his last first grade appearance.
Smith left the field in the 75th minute after a tackle from Matt Lodge, with the veteran Rabbitohs’ coach alluding to a potential hip drop tackle on his mid-season recruit.
“He’s done a medial ligament… from that tackle,” Bennett said in the press conference.
“That’s up to them to make a decision now but, we’re not playing with a lot of luck, and we didn’t get any there in that decision either.
“I’m frustrated by a lot of things right now but it’s not doing me any good.”
The injury to Smith does nothing to help the Rabbitohs, who have been hampered by injury all season, and who were missing Cameron Murray, Cody Walker, and Euan Aitken tonight, amongst others.
The Sea Eagles walked away from Brookvale Oval with a valuable two points and renewed optimism for their finals push.
Pressure had been mounting on coach Anthony Seibold following Manly’s inconsistent form that had largely defined their 2025 campaign thus far.
Heading into a crucial two games against the Wests Tigers and Rabbitohs, Seibold needed wins to remove doubt around his position, and made the bold decision to move Tom Trbojevic to centre in the hopes of reinvigorating his star’s season.
Trbojevic might have been hesitant towards the switch initially, but his move from fullback is helping the Manly star rediscover his best form, with a two-try performance that demonstrated how he can continue to have significant impact on a game while playing on an edge.
Embracing the hybrid model, he enjoyed so much success with at representative level, Trbojevic scored two tries and played a role in one of Garrick’s, with Seibold suggesting his centre move may be more permanent.
“(A permanent move) is what I want to have a look at,” Seibold said post-match.
“My gut feel was another good step in the right direction tonight.”
“(He was) really good again. I think the way he’s able to inject himself on either side of the field is something that not a lot of other centres can do with the impact that he can have.
“It was really pleasing to see Turbo (Trbojevic) get a couple of tries.
“He’s done it a lot at elite level, he’s not done it much at club level, but I really like what I’ve seen in the next couple weeks.
Trbojevic’s try in the 27th minute was his first since Round 2, and he paid homage to late Liverpool striker Diogo Jota afterwards, who passed away in a car crash two days ago.
Seibold also confirmed Sea Eagles’ winger Jason Saab was cleared of any serious injury after he left the field in the 63rd minute with an ankle injury trying to stop Duncan’s second try. Saab previously suffered a high ankle sprain in Round 5.
He also revealed star second rower Haumole Olakau’atu was looking at a Round 21 return against the Bulldogs.
Reuben Garrick continued his try-scoring ways after his move back to the wing, scoring an early double, while Daly Cherry-Evans and Tolu Koula also got amongst the try scorers.
Tallis Duncan scored two tries in the second half while Isaiah Tass crossed late in the picture, but it was all too little too late for South Sydney.
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