Proud parents..Melissa and John Trbojevic with their son Jake after he represented the Australian Schoolboys U18s team in New Zealand. They will be in Hull to watch Jake make his Test debut. Photo courtesy of the Trbojevic family.
For all of the achievements her sons Jake and Tom have enjoyed with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, there is one thing Melissa Trbojevic is most proud of.
“I just wanted nice, humble boys. Of course, you want them to be happy, but I try to keep them down to earth. It is important,’’ Melissa said.
When people talk about the Trbojevic brothers, the word ‘humble’ features prominently.
“People talk about what they have done already, but for my husband John and I, they are just Jake and Tom,’’ Melissa said.
“They are nice, good people. I like that they help others. It wasn’t that long ago that they were looking up to football players as idols, and they still respect that.
“If a kid comes up to them in a park and says hello, they will say hi back and kick the footy around with them. I like that.
“I like giving back to the community. Jake and Tom have grown up doing that as we have been heavily involved with the Mona Vale Raiders Club for the past 15 years. It is the same with their younger brothers, Luke (16), and Ben (15). It is such a big part of our lives. This year was the first year John and I stopped being involved.”
Tonight, Melissa and John, flew out of Sydney to be able to watch their eldest son, Jake, make his Australian Test debut at lock against the Scotland Bravehearts in Hull on Friday night.
The match at KC Lightstream Stadium, Hull, will be shown live on Channel Nine’s Gem Network at 6am Saturday (AEDT). Jake becomes the 70th Manly player to represent Australia in the Sea Eagles' 70th Year Anniversary.
Jake’s Test selection caps off a ‘huge month’ for the Trbojevic family after he and Tom extended their contracts at the Sea Eagles until the end of 2020.
“The past month has been a bit surreal...very surreal,’’ Melissa added.
“John has always followed rugby league. He told me that when he was younger, he always looked up to the Kangaroos. To him, they were the best of the best. To think Jake is one of them now is unbelievable.
“When Jake made his NRL debut for Manly, I was a nervous wreck. I shed a few tears. I can only imagine what John and I will be like when Jake sings the national anthem in Hull. John will be teary too….it’s unbelievable.”
However, it could have been a far different outcome for the Trbojevic family had Melissa’s childhood dream come true.
“Growing up, I wasn’t into sport…not at all. I was dreaming of having four girls who would be doing ballet,’’ she laughed.
“It didn’t quite work out that way. I now have four great boys who are very close and supportive of each other. I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Read Jake's Kangaroos Diary here
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