BY CURTIS WOODWARD

@woodward_curtis

Manly-Warringah’s Tom Trbojevic will miss the start of the 2021 season after suffering a hamstring injury. The best bit is the great Sea Eagles fullback was recorded racing punters through the Corso on the Peninsula over the weekend.

Even better?

Trbojevic says it happened when he slipped over in the shower.

Which made us go back over history and look at some of other first graders that missed action over bizarre, off-field incidents.

DAVID GILLESPIE – BULLDOGS

‘Cement’ was on a roll in 1986 with the mighty Bulldogs and was destined to earn a place on the Kangaroos Tour at the end of the season. But on the eve of the ’86 finals, Gillespie severed his index finger while working as a garbo in Belfield. He missed the finals (Canterbury lost the decider 4-2 to arch rivals Parramatta) and a spot on the trip to England.

ROBBIE KEARNS – NSW BLUES

The great Wayne Pearce, a legendary teetotaller, was coach of the New South Wales Blues in 1999 and obviously wasn’t too keen to hang out with a bunch of drunks in yet another bonding session full of beer, bourbon and euchre. So Pearce got the Blues on horseback. Everything was going fine until one filly wasn’t too keen on the cut of prop Robbie Kearns’ jib and accordingly tossed the big bloke to the turf. Kearns was ruled out with a broken collarbone and missed several weeks in recovery.

JOHNNY KING – DRAGONS

One of the great Dragons of all time, King was mowing his lawn prior to the 1965 season, severely severing his foot. The legendary winger came back during ’65 and scored a try in the grand final. St George’s 10th straight premiership.

TIM BRASHER – COWBOYS

Legend goes Brasher was in his home in Townsville cleaning a ceiling fan when he fell and hurt his knee – ending his career. The former Kangaroos fullback made a brief cameo in 2003 with Bath in English rugby union.

DAVID KIDWELL – RABBITOHS

The Kiwi utility found career-best form while playing down in Victoria with the Storm. He was then deservedly offered a handsome contract to join the Rabbitohs in 2007. Everything was going splendidly until a team barbeque where everything went horribly wrong. The culprit? His little daughter. Kidwell turned and attempted to dodge her and came crashing down. The result was snapped ligaments in his knee and he was forced to watch the rest of the season from the sidelines.

JOHN SIMON – STEELERS

The cult hero Steelers halfback was enjoying a warm shower after a match in 1993 against the Gold Coast at Wollongong Sportsground when he slipped and cut his foot. He didn’t return until the following season.

MATT KEATING – EELS

While playing with his bulldog in his backyard, the dummy half was bit by the pup and spent a night in hospital with his finger almost taken off in “playful accident”. He then missed six weeks of football.

JACK WIGHTON – RAIDERS

Who doesn’t love a jump on a trampoline? Jack Wighton! That’s who! The rookie Raiders prodigy was bouncing with his little brother in 2012 when he hit the edge and fell off – tearing a ligament in his foot.

SCOTT BOLTON – COWBOYS

The veteran forward was enjoying some mid-season fishing in Australia’s North when he sliced his hand cutting up some fish. It may have been a little more serious than that. The Innisfail-native missed seven weeks of footy.

STEPHEN KEARNEY – NEW ZEALAND

Kearney and roommate Jason Donnelly were hanging out on their balcony in France while on tour with the Kiwis when the balcony collapsed beneath their feet – sending them crashing to terra firma. Luckily, they weren’t too high up. Kearney finished up with head injuries and spent a week in a Carcassonne hospital while Donnelly broke his ankle.

@woodward_curtis