18th man rule forced Tom Trbojevic to choose between club and state
Story by Kye Ferreira
18th man rule forced Tom Trbojevic to choose between club and state
For years, NRL clubs have been forced to make significant sacrifices for State of Origin, losing star players to camps, injuries, and representative bonuses.
Under the NRL's State of Origin player availability rules, all 17 players selected in a match-day squad are automatically ruled out of club duties for the round preceding each Origin game.
In 2022, that rule was expanded to include the 18th man, who is the emergency bench player that was introduced to counter the impact of concussions during Origin matches.
Since the role's introduction in 2022, only one instance of the 18th man being activated has occurred. That came during Game One of the 2024 State of Origin series when Felise Kaufusi was brought into the game after just eight minutes after Joseph Suaalii's high tackle on Queensland fullback Reece Walsh, which resulted in a send-off and Walsh being ruled out with a concussion.
A recent situation involving Manly Sea Eagles fullback Tom Trbojevic has exposed a glaring issue in the current State of Origin selection system.
According to a report by the Sydney Morning Herald, in the lead-up to Game One, Tom Trbojevic was offered the role of 18th man for the NSW Blues.
The Manly fullback declined the offer, unwilling to sacrifice a key club match for the slim chance of entering the Origin contest.
His decision underscores the difficult choice players face under the current system – choosing between club loyalty and representative honours.
The Blues instead named Campbell Graham as the 18th man for Game One.
With such limited use of the substitute and the toll it takes on club performance and player opportunities, calls are mounting for a review of the policy moving forward.
