‘He’s the best player in the game’: Roosters banking on Tedesco to dominate finals

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Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson has labelled James Tedesco the best player in the NRL as the champion fullback prepares to lead his team through a sudden-death finals minefield to an unprecedented premiership.

The Roosters skipper is hot favourite to win his second Dally M medal after an outstanding campaign that helped his team qualify eighth in the play-offs, setting up an elimination clash with fifth-placed Cronulla at Sharks Stadium on Saturday.

At the age of 32, the former Kangaroos captain has played every minute of every game for the Roosters this season, scoring 11 tries, producing 21 try assists and averaging 194.5 attacking metres per appearance.

“Teddy, I believe, is the best player in the game,” Robinson said. “It’s been amazing to have him play this year and lead the guys … people are saying he’s playing the best he’s played, but he’s played so well for so long.

“I just think he’s physically in great shape, he’s mentally really clear, and he’s leading as good as anybody as a captain, so, yeah, I’m looking forward to him leading us tomorrow.”

After the departure of a host of superstars at the end of last season – including Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Jospeh Manu, Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii and Luke Keary – the Roosters were widely expected to struggle this year, and four defeats in their first five games did not augur well.

But they have steadily improved and head into the finals with five wins from their past six starts. Their recent form raises the question of whether they can become the first team in the NRL era to win the premiership from outside the top four.

“We’re in a good spot when it comes to that, and it will happen at some point,” Robinson said. “Our job is to win Saturday night and keep that belief alive in what can happen.”

The Roosters have reached the finals 12 times in Robinson’s 13 seasons as head coach. But he is not satisfied by just qualifying for the eight, and says the secret to surviving the tightrope walk ahead will be to continue their one-week-at-a-time mindset.

“We didn’t walk into this week giddy,” Robinson said. “We walked into this week focused on the Sharks on Saturday night. The simplicity of that mindset really helps.

“You know, if you ever focus on something and that’s all you focus on, then you can head towards that ... We’re pretty clear on what we need to do to play on Saturday night. People want to talk about finals. All we want to do is talk about tomorrow night. That’s all that counts.”

The Sharks and Roosters are one win apiece in their head-to-head meetings this year. The Roosters dominated in a 42-16 thrashing in Gosford in round 12, which Cronulla avenged in a 31-18 victory at Sharks Stadium six weeks later.

One key lesson Robinson learned from those games was that Cronulla’s hooker and new captain Blayke Brailey will be a constant threat.

“We need to make sure that we’re on our game when it comes to his dummy-half play,” Robinson said. “He’s been one of the reasons that they’ve really stepped forward again this year … he’s been outstanding this year. Exceptional player. I feel like he’s led the way for that team, for them.

Blayke Brailey has taken his game to a new level this season.

“They’ve had lots of really good players, but he’s been the one constant there for them and that’s a credit to him and the way that he’s played the game.”

Roosters winger Mark Nawaqanitawase heads into his first finals campaign full of confidence, after delivering an NRL-high 23 tries this season, including seven in his past two games.

There is mounting speculation the former Wallaby will be tempted to return to rugby union for the 2027 World Cup, but Robinson said the Roosters were intent on keeping him.

The high-flying winger is contracted until the end of next season.

“There’s not much use having those conversations until the end of the season, so they won’t happen,” Robinson said.

“No one’s having them because all that matters is tomorrow night. When the season finishes and we get into October and November, we’ll have those conversations ... I really don’t care at the moment, but I will in October, because I want him to be here long term.”

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