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Even when his world must have felt like it was caving in, around Origin time, when his beloved Blues and Roosters were spluttering \u2013 and some cranky fans and commentators were convinced his representative days were numbered \u2013 James Tedesco did not once doubt his own ability.<\/p>\n
\u201cNever, but it was definitely hard to stay confident,\u201d Tedesco tells this masthead.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve gone through many highs and successful years where everything works for you.<\/p>\n
\u201cLife is good when you\u2019re winning. When you\u2019re not, you have to dig deep, keep working hard, and not let the naysayers get to you.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always want to play my best game every game, every year. Sometimes it simply doesn\u2019t happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tedesco will lead Australia in the Pacific Championships final against New Zealand on Saturday afternoon.<\/p>\n
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James Tedesco will lead Australia out for the Pacific Championships final on Saturday afternoon.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty Images<\/cite><\/p>\n Hamilton will be rocking, and for Tedesco a Kangaroos win will be an excellent finish to a season that only really kicked into gear for the final third of the campaign. He is proud to wear the green and gold and lead his mates into battle, but stops short of rating the year a success.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s certainly been a good back half to the year, and a win as Australian captain would top it off,\u201d Tedesco said. \u201cBut it\u2019s not a successful year when you don\u2019t win Origin or make it to a grand final with the Roosters.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been a great learning curve for me as a player and as a leader, and I\u2019m already looking forward to 2024.<\/p>\n \u201cI know in myself I\u2019ve got plenty of good footy ahead of me.\u201d<\/p>\n Two Kings: Maori King Tuheitia Paki meets Kangaroos counterpart James Tedesco on Thursday<\/span><\/p>\n Tedesco received plenty of messages of support during the Origin period. He was well down on his lofty standards.<\/p>\n He turned to Joe Wehbe, his good friend, manager and mind coach, like he does every week.<\/p>\n He appreciated private talks with Brad Fittler and Andrew Johns, two greats of the game who pointed out how they had experienced form slumps at least once in their careers.<\/p>\n Origin III was the start of the official comeback. The seeds, however, Tedesco says, were probably planted a couple of weeks earlier at a team meeting inside Allianz Stadium after a loss to the Raiders in round 17.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was after that Canberra loss we spoke about no longer worrying about expectations, and how we didn\u2019t have much to lose,\u201d Tedesco said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe needed to get back to backing ourselves, playing freer and just enjoying our footy. It was a big turning point for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Australian coach Mal Meninga is a proud Queenslander, but was never tempted to dump his captain and fullback from south of the border.<\/p>\n He could have gone with Maroons upstart Reece Walsh, or Dally M Medal winner Kalyn Ponga, but stuck solid with his World Cup winner.<\/p>\n ARL Commission chairman Peter V\u2019landys said at the team announcement there was unanimous support to retain Tedesco.<\/p>\n James Tedesco during the Origin I loss in Adelaide<\/span>Credit: <\/span>NRL Photos<\/cite><\/p>\n Aware of Walsh\u2019s popularity, V\u2019landys told this masthead the 21-year-old may have been the \u201cJustin Bieber of rugby league\u201d, but Tedesco was \u201cthe Ed Sheeran of rugby league, because he\u2019s someone who also packs stadiums\u201d.<\/p>\n Meninga could see Tedesco working hard when the Roosters were not getting the results, and there was one area that separated him from the rest of the fullback pack.<\/p>\n \u201cDefensively he is outstanding, the way he organises the defensive line is spot on \u2013 you see all the flashy stuff, but you don\u2019t see the work he does adjusting numbers; he\u2019s very good at that,\u201d Meninga said on Friday.<\/p>\n When told Tedesco still considered his season to be unsuccessful, Meninga added: \u201cHe\u2019s a competitor. That\u2019s what you like about him. I understand that statement. Players want to be successful and play in wining teams, that didn\u2019t happen for him this year, so he probably feels a little bit unfulfilled.\u201d<\/p>\n Peter V\u2019landys has hailed James Tedesco the \u201cEd Sheeran of rugby league\u201d.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Steven Siewert\/SMH<\/cite><\/p>\n Since Billy Slater retired in 2018, Tedesco has continued to swat away competition for his spot, which has never been stronger.<\/p>\n He is aware of the talent coming through, which was there when he started out, but is now at a stage where most clubs have two or three genuine top-tier No. 1s in their line-up.<\/p>\n The Roosters have Joey Manu and Joseph Suaalii. We will come back to Manu.<\/p>\n The depth across the game might explain why Tedesco is being asked more and more when he will step away from the representative arena. For the record, he is only 30, and has another four or five years on top. Italians have good genes.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery club seems to have a superstar fullback,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I don\u2019t really look to other guys for motivation. I\u2019ve always been able to motivate myself to be at my best. I know what my best looks like. I\u2019ve been at it for the past few years.<\/p>\n \u201cI know this year I wasn\u2019t at my best the whole time, but I never try to be anyone else \u2013 I never try to be a Reece Walsh or a KP because we all play the game our own way \u2013 and I try to stay true to myself and get better.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing the captain the last couple of years, I\u2019ve also tried to be the best leader I can be as well, instead of just the best fullback.\u201d<\/p>\n Tedesco met Maori King T\u016bheitia Paki on Thursday. He was blown away by the experience, and how much love and pride there is with New Zealand Indigenous culture.<\/p>\n Joey Manu will be one of the star attractions for the Kiwis in Hamilton on Saturday.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty Images<\/cite><\/p>\n The real king at Hamilton, however, will be Manu, who grew up just down the road at Tokoroa.<\/p>\n Manu is off contract and already attracting big-money interest from St George Illawarra for the 2025 season.<\/p>\n The Roosters cannot keep them all. Tedesco, himself off contract at the end of 2025, is aware the club will do well to keep the centre who wants to be a fullback.<\/p>\n Tedesco has even floated the idea on more than one occasion with coach Trent Robinson about shifting positions to accommodate Manu.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve said to \u2018Robbo\u2019 over the years I\u2019m happy if he wants me to move positions, but I think Robbo only sees me as a fullback,\u201d Robinson said.<\/p>\n \u201cI love Joey. I know there have been rumours about clubs throwing big money at him, which is no surprise because he\u2019s such a quality player.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery team would love to have him. I hope we do everything we can to keep him because he\u2019s been a big part of the club and our success since he came over as a young pup.\u201d<\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary.<\/i><\/b> Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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