As we woke yesterday morning to the realisation New South Wales were the new champions of interstate rugby league, most punters south of the border would have been lauding the efforts of Brad Fittler and his new look side, with 12 or so rookies of the Origin arena.
A great ‘team effort’ was talked about around water coolers on Monday. Fittler and his staff must be commended, as should the entire NSW team on their drought-breaking series win.
But it is the man in the number one jersey I care to praise the most. He has reached that rarified air in rugby league reserved only for the best. James Tedesco played a nine out of ten in Game 2, two weeks after he played a ten. His game was phenomenal, and yet some rugby league commentators rated him a seven.
There is a higher standard set for Tedesco than any other player in the game. He’s that good. Teddy doesn’t drop bombs, he rarely misses one-on-one tackles, he always busts a tackle or two, and when Kalyn Ponga set sail for a series-defining late try in the corner, there was only one man who could have cut him down.
(Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
There was even talk of Tom Trbojevic replacing Tedesco at fullback earlier in the season, but Fittler, a legend himself, clearly recognises sheer ability more than most of today’s journalists and spectators. His tally of tries at the Roosters may be a little lower than expected this year but his effort and impact is always elite.
So as the young superstar Ponga was chopped down in that classic cover tackle, the series was saved, the Blues were on their way to taking the shield and the plaudits would be shared.
And Tedesco in his own humble and unassuming manner praised his forwards and his halves, not his own series, which was as blemish-free as it was brilliant. Without him Queensland may just have been headed to a hometown decider.
As New South Wales enters a period of increased prosperity, it is only a matter of time before Tedesco’s exploits start to be recognised for what they are: greatness.
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