Tedesco's hot form will force Daley to make No.1 choice

Yahoo

02-05-2025

Sydney Roosters skipper James Tedesco has made another compelling case for a NSW recall at fullback with coach Laurie Daley now having to make a tough call about incumbent Dylan Edwards
Tedesco, with 24 State of Origin games for NSW to his credit, has been front and centre of the Roosters' three wins from their last four outings.
He won the Artie Legacy Medal as man of the match in the 46-26 win over the Dolphins on Friday night at Magic Round, which including two line breaks, two try assists and 212m.
Former NSW captain Tedesco was dropped from the Blues side after game one last year and Penrith fullback Edwards took his place in a 2-1 series win for NSW.
This year 32-year-old Tedesco's form has been superior to that of Edwards in a battling Panthers team.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson said both had a compelling case.
"It is just who the coach wants to choose," Robinson said of Tedesco's Origin hopes.
"You can't go wrong obviously with Ted and everything that he has done, and you can't go wrong with Dylan. He is an amazing player. It is just the choice of a coach.
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"There is no right or wrong decision. It is whatever the coach feels like is his team. There are other positions you can debate. I don't think fullback is one of them."
Daley said recently he was not concerned about the poor form of Penrith, who feature Blues stars like Edwards, Isaiah Yeo, Nathan Cleary and Liam Martin.
"I don't think I would have to worry about the guys who have won four competitions in a row and have performed at the highest level," Daley told Channel Nine.
I think you look at form and you look at what people have done in the past at that level and then weigh it all up."
Tedesco had a clear response when asked if he was shocked at his form as a 32-year-old.
"I am very clear on how I play footy and prepare. Everyone is expecting me to not be as good but I am sticking to my routine weekly - mentally freshening up for each game and physically getting my body right and then playing," he said.
"It's not my decision (who plays fullback for NSW). It is what the coach wants and how he wants to play.
"I have been on the other side of it over the years where I am the (NSW) fullback and everyone is talking about form. It does put pressure on you.
"I haven't felt any of that pressure.That has freed me up to play some of my best footy. My focus is leading this team, playing my game and leading from the front. That will never change. "Everyone plays the game to play for their state or Australia. That is always a huge honour. That feeling has never changed for me."
Robinson said it was an honour to coach Tedesco.
"I have been lucky to coach some really great players and Ted stands up there with them all," he said.
"When he plays for his internal value system he gets the rewards on the end of it and that is what has happened his whole career. It doesn't matter what happens external to him.
"He is not trying to make Origin or make Australia. He is trying to play his best footy every week."