What you may have missed at the Dally Ms

5 days ago 5

James Tedesco is tipping Reece Walsh – not Dylan Edwards – to become the new owner of the Kangaroos No.1 jersey, and went as far to label the Broncos livewire as the best player in the NRL the past two months.

Tedesco collected his second Dally M Medal on Wednesday night, which came a day after he pulled out of the Ashes tour so he could attend his brother’s wedding, and undergo much-needed stem-cell surgery on his left knee.

Edwards is the Australian incumbent, but Tedesco said it was impossible to ignore the rise and rise of Walsh.

“I think Walsh will be the Australian fullback, and he’s earned it for his performances the past two months – he’s been the best player in the comp [during that time],” Tedesco said.

“Those big moments when the Broncos needed him the most on Sunday, he showed up. He’s the future, and he’s had a great end to the year.”

Tedesco said he never gave his own international recall much thought, especially when he was overlooked for Australian duties last year, then failed to take part in any NSW Origin action. But he was not prepared to close the door on a World Cup return for Australia at the end of next year.

James Tedesco of the Sydney Roosters and Tamika Upton of the Brisbane Broncos pose with their Dally M Medals.

Tedesco won the Dally M by 22 votes. He thanked massage therapist Paul Martino for keeping his body in tiptop shape every week.

“He comes to my house for two hours, two to three times a week, he does massage, a bit of stretching – honestly, he’s kept me fresh and prepared for every game, and I wouldn’t get through the seasons without him,” Tedesco said.

Expect Tedesco to sit down with the Roosters soon and thrash out another extension to keep him at Bondi beyond 2026.

Marky Mark’s praise for Ted

Mark Nawaqanitawase has rubbed shoulders with some of the best players in rugby union and now the NRL, and was quick to hail Tedesco “the best I’ve played with, in either code”.

“He’s such a great man, very caring, not stuck up, and he’s just a genuine bloke,” Nawaqanitawase said.

“On the field, he’s everywhere, he shows up in the moments we need him, and he’s so calm. It’s an absolute pleasure to play with him.”

Nawaqanitawase said he was not bothered by suggestions the Kangaroos should overlook him given he is returning to rugby at the end of next year, and would be honoured if given the nod to wear the green and gold for the Ashes tour.

He also thanked the league public for going out of their way to make an effort pronouncing his surname.

“When I go to the beach, I’ll have kids come up to me and say it perfectly,” Nawaqanitawase said.

“Everyone used to think it was a tongue twister, but now they say it with ease.

“The care people have taken to try and say it and perfect it, it means a lot to my family and heritage.”

DCE a Shark?

One of the hottest rumours doing the rounds this week was Daly Cherry-Evans joining Cronulla, and the Manly halfback made sure he had some fun with it by making a beeline for Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon at the Dally Ms.

Sharks officials said it was not happening, unless DCE was prepared to play for around $150,000 a year. For the record, the NRL confirmed Cherry-Evans will not feature in Sunday’s parade for retiring players. He will be at the Roosters.

All in the family

Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds is not the only talented sportsperson in the family, with his second-eldest daughter, Aaliyah, making the Queensland representative Oztag team.

“She more than holds her own, but she’s no good with the boot – she has her mum’s feet,” Reynolds said.

Adam Reynolds and wife Tallara on the red carpet.

The skipper snuck in a round of golf on Tuesday, and plans to hit the course again in Sydney on Friday, just as he did in 2023 when he carted a handy score around The Australian, albeit in the heat while covering up his tattoos as part of the club’s strict dress code.

Tonga’s handy rookies

Tonga will add a couple of handy first-year players to their Pacific Championships squad in the coming weeks, including Rob Toia, who took out the Dally M rookie of the year gong, and fellow rookie nominee Leka Halasima.

The Warriors backrower has pledged his allegiance to Tonga, despite being heavily pursued by New Zealand.

Sniffly Strange

Ethan Strange was struck down with influenza A and dropped a whopping five kilos as a result. The Canberra five-eighth still had the sniffles when he attended the Dally Ms with his father, Sydney Roosters’ NRLW coach John Strange.