NRL News: Why Teddy's still No.1, Des set for new deal after peace talks, Arthur stokes fire in Eels props

Massages, ice-baths and stretches. It’s what keeps James Tedesco on the field and makes him the best-value fullback in the NRL.  

The 29-year-old’s worth is best exemplified by the fact only Parramatta’s Clint Gutherson has played more games than him in the past three seasons as a big-earning No.1.

While Tedesco has managed 64 NRL games since the start of 2020 plus State of Origins, Dylan Edwards has played 57, Kalyn Ponga 48, Ryan Papenhuyzen 47 and Tom Trbojevic only 32.

His rival this week in Latrell Mitchell has chalked up 45 for South Sydney, with injuries and suspensions making Sunday’s final his first for the club since arriving in 2020.

It makes Tedesco’s million-dollar salary worth every cent.

So how does he keep injury free? Twice each week Tedesco visits the office of manager Joe Wehbe to see a masseuse.

(Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

“It’s a full-time thing,” Tedesco told AAP. “After training I get massages, two times a week for a couple of hours. “It’s massages, it’s stretching and other stuff for recovery like ice baths.  I’ve been doing that since probably 2015. It’s just become a part of my routine and it’s helped me a lot.”

The Sydney Roosters captain said the extra four hours per week was required given the demands of the No.1. 

“There are a lot of guys going through injuries in that position. It’s tough. The way fullbacks play these days, we’re in every play, we’re in collisions. I know now I’ve been really good with my body but I missed a lot of games through the start of my career with that.

“You can’t just expect to train and play and your body’s going to be right. It takes such a hammering for 80 minutes and in and around training. You’ve got to look after it.”

Tedesco has never missed two straight games through injury in his five years at the Roosters which is remarkable given the pain and anguish suffered by Trbojevic, Papenhuyzen and Mitchell in recent seasons.

Tedesco has learnt from his early injuries after tearing his ACL on debut for Wests Tigers in 2012, playing through the pain of a cracked bone in his leg the next season and fracturing his kneecap in 2014.

“It takes a lot of devastation and disappointment to go through, but I definitely learnt a lot about the NRL grind and my body as well during that time. There are probably some young guys learning that as well.

“Paps messaged me (after his blow), we had the same injury with the kneecap. He was asking me for tips that helped me that could help him. Tommy too. It’s important to pass that on.”

GAMES FOR BIG-MONEY FULLBACKS SINCE 2020

Clint Gutherson: 71
James Tedesco: 64
Dylan Edwards: 57
Kalyn Ponga: 48
Ryan Papenhuyzen: 47
Latrell Mitchell: 45
Tom Trbojevic: 32

Des set to land new deal, with a catch

Manly coach Des Hasler looks set to be given an extension but only into the 2024 season after a meeting with club officials on Thursday.

After all sorts of speculation that Hasler had lost the dressing room, he and his agent George Mimis met with CEO Tony Mestrov and chair Scott Penn in North Sydney.

The coach is likely to be offered an extra year on top of his current contract provided a succession plan is brough in, similar to the Tim Sheens/Benji Marshall arrangement at Wests Tigers and Wayne Bennett’s situation with Kristian Woolf at the Dolphins.

Hasler could have had a 2024 option triggered in his current contract if the team finished in the top six but they faded badly with seven straight losses on the back of the pride jersey debacle in Round 20 to finish in 11th.

The decision by seven players to boycott the match because they did not want to wear the club’s inclusivity jersey has reportedly split the players while there has also been speculation about whether Daly Cherry-Evans will be retained as captain and if Tom and Jake Trbojevic will see out the remaining four years of their contracts.

(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

All three star players have denied there is trouble in the camp.

Sea Eagles deputies Steve Hales and Chad Randall have been mentioned as potential successors to Hasler while there are highly rated assistants at other clubs such as Jason Ryles at the Roosters, Ben Hornby at South Sydney, Josh Hannay at the Sharks and Dean Young at the Cowboys who are viewed as NRL coaches in waiting.

Manly have said farewell to veteran prop Martin Taupau (released) and five-eighth Kieran Foran (Titans) but have not made any significant recruits for their 2023 roster apart from Tigers forward Kelma Tuilagi.

Parra props fire after Arthur rev-up 

Parramatta’s forwards have declared it’s time for them to deliver constantly for the next month, conceding when they are off the Eels’ performances quickly drop.

The Eels enter the finals with one of the most dangerous packs in the competition, with Junior Paulo and Reagan Campbell-Gillard arguably the best front-row pairing in the NRL this year.

But they are both well aware of their issues around consistency, with the gap between Parramatta’s best and worst threatening their title credentials.

Parramatta’s pack in particular was singled out as an issue as recently as last month by coach Brad Arthur, questioning their lack of physicality after a loss to South Sydney.

They have since responded with both Paulo and Campbell-Gillard topping 150 metres per game in the past fortnight against Brisbane and Melbourne.

“If our middles don’t play well, you can see the performances,” Campbell-Gillard said. “We can’t have a kind of an off-day or, or an okay-day because it bites us in the arse.

“The games that we’ve lost, we’ve probably had one middle that has been good, but the other two have been shit. It’s just making sure that we’re actually doing our job.”

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

An analysis of Parramatta’s performances this year backs up Campbell-Gillard’s claims.

Where the Eels have won with both in the team, he and Paulo have averaged a combined 285 metres, while in games the pair lost when they played together that number drops dramatically to a combined 194 metres.

Likewise, Paulo has run under 100 metres in all six losses he has played in this year.

However they do enter Friday night’s qualifying final with winning form over Penrith, getting the better of Moses Leota and James Fisher-Harris in both the Eels’ victories this year.

“We know what we’re good at,” Campbell-Gillard said. “When we go outside that, that’s the performances you see this year. And yeah, then it’s bad. 

“If we stick to what we know works, then nine times out of 10 the result pretty much goes our way.”

Nowhere was that more evident than in last month’s flogging from the Rabbitohs, prompting Arthur’s blunt assessment. Not that the pack needed it.

“We knew it ourselves. We addressed it straight away,” Paulo said. “As a middle, you don’t want to lose those battles. Fortunately for us, that that’s how we were able to get our season back on track. 

“It was just getting back to being the team that we knew we can be. 

“We get challenged week in week out to do our job. 

“It’s hard being in the front row, when you’re pretty much a battering ram. But if you’ve got a job, that’s your job to do.”

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