Tedesco error overlooked in contentious try
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Sydney Morning Herald
14 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
The secret to Teddy's career-best form? Resisting what he does best
But there is a tweak in the ruck running that Lindsay Collins says Tedesco 'probably pioneered' – those pin-balling tackle three and four carries that Dylan Edwards and Connor Tracey have also made their hallmarks. The same plays that, through sheer competitiveness and ability, could see Tedesco involved too much, especially as NSW captain, trying to put a team on his back too often. Champion Data statistics reveal Tedesco ranks fourth across the NRL for tackle three carries in 2025, and second for tackle four runs. Clint Gutherson is the only other back who features in the top five of each stat, which is otherwise led by elite pack horses like Terrell May, Keaon Koloamatangi and Pat Carrigan. Since a 2023 dip in form, Tedesco is significantly more involved in the middle of the Roosters sets, yet finding his teammates more often too – as noted by Rugby League Writers' Jason Oliver. 'I'd say he's added that pass with those plays over the last two years,' Watson says. 'I think that's because you see a lot of fullbacks running that way now [around the ruck]. So if Teddy brings a bit of shape around his carry, it gives us the option to move the ball from his running too.' Collins adds: 'As a middle too, if you're running around Teddy, you notice the defensive line can stop and hold, because they're on alert. There's the chance to hit a hole off him, and usually a quick play-the-ball too.' For his part, Tedesco was quick to point to the Roosters drop-off in the past month that has dropped them out of the top eight at the wrong point in the season. Losses to the Tigers and Storm when Jahrome Hughes went down are particularly galling. 'Our team performances haven't been the best and I'll wear a bit of that,' Tedesco said leading into the Manly clash. 'But I've been really enjoying leading these young guys. I think at the start of the year no-one really gave us a chance or expectation and I've enjoyed leading those boys through my actions and communication. 'Now there is expectation and pressure on us to win. I need to lead by example.' Aside from the Roosters error-strewn defeat to Cronulla two weeks back, Tedesco has hit the same lofty bar he's set all season. With five, if not six wins needed from as many games to sneak into the finals, the return of young half Hugo Savala's kicking game and control is especially welcome. Loading Sydney's latest big wet points to the long and short kicking games of Savala and Sam Walker, Daly Cherry-Evans and Luke Brooks potentially deciding their sides' top-eight hopes. So too Tedesco's trademark sniping around the ruck, especially if Tom Trbojevic is still confined to right centre when, at his best, he can match the Roosters No.1 scything through a middle defence. The temptation to try and put the Tricolours on his back is right there for Tedesco. 'It's a constant thing to work on,' he says. 'Over my career, around the ruck and around the middle of the field is where I've played most of my footy but there's lots of opportunities out wide. 'It's those combinations with the halves – Sammy Walker's come back in, Hugo's been out a couple of weeks but as a spine working together, that's what brings out my best footy. 'So I have to be clear with our spine on what our game plan is, but just getting my hands on the ball without too much thinking is when I play my best footy too.'
The Age
14 hours ago
- The Age
The secret to Teddy's career-best form? Resisting what he does best
But there is a tweak in the ruck running that Lindsay Collins says Tedesco 'probably pioneered' - those pin-balling tackle three and four carries that Dylan Edwards and Connor Tracey have also made their hallmarks. The same plays that, through sheer competitiveness and ability, could see Tedesco involved too much, especially as NSW captain, trying to put a team on his back too often. Champion Data statistics reveal Tedesco ranks fourth across the NRL for tackle three carries in 2025, and second for tackle four runs. Clint Gutherson is the only other back who features in the top five of each stat, which is otherwise led by elite pack horses like Terrell May, Keaon Koloamatangi and Pat Carrigan. Since a 2023 dip in form, Tedesco is significantly more involved in the middle of the Roosters sets, yet finding his teammates more often too - as noted by Rugby League Writers' Jason Oliver. 'I'd say he's added that pass with those plays over the last two years,' Watson says. 'I think that's because you see a lot of fullbacks running that way now [around the ruck]. So if Teddy brings a bit of shape around his carry, it gives us the option to move the ball from his running too.' Collins adds: 'As a middle too, if you're running around Teddy, you notice the defensive line can stop and hold, because they're on alert. There's the chance to hit a hole off him, and usually a quick play-the-ball too.' For his part, Tedesco was quick to point to the Roosters drop-off in the past month that has dropped them out of the top eight at the wrong point in the season. Losses to the Tigers and Storm when Jahrome Hughes went down are particularly galling. 'Our team performances haven't been the best and I'll wear a bit of that,' Tedesco said leading into the Manly clash. 'But I've been really enjoying leading these young guys. I think at the start of the year no-one really gave us a chance or expectation and I've enjoyed leading those boys through my actions and communication. 'Now there is expectation and pressure on us to win. I need to lead by example.' Aside from the Roosters error-strewn defeat to Cronulla two weeks back, Tedesco has hit the same lofty bar he's set all season. With five, if not six wins needed from as many games to sneak into the finals, the return of young half Hugo Savala's kicking game and control is especially welcome. Loading Sydney's latest big wet points to the long and short kicking games of Savala and Sam Walker, Daly Cherry-Evans and Luke Brooks potentially deciding their sides' top-eight hopes. So too Tedesco's trademark sniping around the ruck, especially if Tom Trbojevic is still confined to right centre when, at his best, he can match the Roosters No.1 scything through a middle defence. The temptation to try and put the Tricolours on his back is right there for Tedesco. 'It's a constant thing to work on,' he says. 'Over my career, around the ruck and around the middle of the field is where I've played most of my footy but there's lots of opportunities out wide. 'It's those combinations with the halves - Sammy Walker's come back in, Hugo's been out a couple of weeks but as a spine working together, that's what brings out my best footy. 'So I have to be clear with our spine on what our game plan is, but just getting my hands on the ball without too much thinking is when I play my best footy too.'
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Yahoo
'Completely correct': NRL world fooled by James Tedesco optical illusion
OPINION NRL fans and commentators were blowing up on Thursday night in the belief the Roosters had been wrongly awarded a try that nearly cost the Melbourne Storm dearly. But a camera angle that the Bunker wasn't actually privy to shows they got the call completely correct. Tedesco looked way off-side when he streamed through in chase of a Sam Walker kick in the 64th minute. Tedesco's presence helped Mark Nawaqanitawase tap the ball back in the face of Storm fullback Nick Meaney, before Zach Dockar-Clay picked it up and scored under the posts. The Bunker ticked off the on-field call of try, which gave the Roosters a 30-28 lead before the Storm salvaged a 34-30 victory at the death. The Bunker's decision to confirm the Dockar-Clay try caused uproar, with everyone convinced Tedesco was in front of Walker when he kicked it. Under NRL rules, chasers must have both feet behind the ball when it's kicked, and the camera angles used by the Bunker official looked very sketchy for the Roosters captain. Because they weren't in line with the play, it looked like Tedesco was way off-side. Channel 9 then showed an angle that the Bunker didn't have access to, and many thought that confirmed the decision was wrong. But in actual fact it showed they got it 100 per cent right. The overhead angle, which is only used at Allianz Stadium and not shown to the Bunker because it's not available for every game, wasn't perfectly in line with the play either. In the overhead shot, the 20m line can be seen at a slight angle, and there's also a faint white line just in front of where Walker and Tedesco were. If you follow the same trajectory as those lines from where the ball left Walker's boot, you can draw the conclusion that Tedesco did in fact have both feet behind. Tedesco's head and left hand were in front of the ball, but that's not the rule. Both of his feet were behind the point at which Walker kicked the ball, meaning the Bunker nailed the decision. NRL greats didn't agree with decision However not many agreed. Andrew Johns said on Channel 9: "Is Teddy on-side here? We'll have a look at this one, I think he might be off-side. He normally never gets that wrong either." Johnathan Thurston added: "I think he is off-side the skipper - you just can't get that wrong Teddy." When the call was confirmed, Thurston simply said: "Wow." On Fox League after the game, Roosters great Bryan Fletcher highlighted how 'karma' caught up with his former team when Daniel Tupou butchered a try but dropping the ball over the line. Fletcher said it was a slice of justice for the Storm for the Tedesco decision. "This is what the karma gods do because James Tedesco was off-side," Fletcher said on the 'Late Show with Matty Johns'. "This game has a funny way of evening itself up." RELATED: Broncos lose young gun to Eels as Cowboys set to part ways with half Latrell and Turbo overlooked in NRL great's Kangaroos team for Ashes But Fletcher, Johns and Thurston were all fooled by the optical illusion. There have been plenty of howlers made by NRL referees and Bunker officials this year, but this wasn't one of them.
