NRL 2024: James Tedesco’s blunt response to questions over Roosters’ premiership credentials

Captain James Tedesco has slammed the narrative that the Sydney Roosters’ premiership window is about to close on the back of a player exodus.

James Tedesco has heard the detractors writing off the title chances of the Sydney Roosters and the skipper is ‘sick and tired’ of it.

Tedesco bristled at reporters on Monday when asked why the Roosters were still a premiership threat in the wake of the sides’ qualifying final loss to Penrith last weekend.

Many pundits had put a line through the Roosters, who were considered a dark horse for the title, after losing key men halfback Sam Walker (ACL), hooker Brandon Smith (ACL) and forward Victor Radley (shoulder) on the eve of the finals series.

The loss to Penrith last Friday night only further raised doubts over whether the Roosters still had the personnel, and firepower, to take out the title in 2024.

But a defiant Tedesco shot down that line of questioning by reporters on Monday.

“You guys aren’t in our four walls. Honestly, I get sick and tired of hearing that from you guys,” Tedesco said.

“That’s all you talk about.”

James Tedesco after the loss to Penrith. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Asked whether the untimely injuries to Walker, Smith and Radley had dented the club’s title hopes, the star fullback was even more blunt in his response.

“No,” Tedesco simply replied.

Trent Robinson’s star-studded roster will lose around 900 NRL games and eight premierships worth of experience at season’s end with Luke Keary and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves Super League-bound, Joey Manu and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii defecting to rugby union and Sitili Tupouniua agreeing to join the Bulldogs in 2025.

It has led to suggestions that the premiership window is about to slam shut for the Roosters, who haven’t made a grand final since back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019.

But Tedesco isn’t buying into that narrative.

“We expect to be successful every year,” Tedesco said.

“We have a great opportunity with the players we have at the moment. It’s not easy to make the grand final so it’s on us to make the most of that opportunity. It wasn’t ideal on the weekend, that’s why the top four gives us a second chance.”

Rather than view the player exodus at Bondi as a threat to the Roosters’ future title hopes, Tedesco said the side will use it as motivation ahead of Saturday’s semi-final showdown against Manly at Allianz Stadium.

“That sort of sits in the back of our mind as motivation … we know we are not going to get the opportunities to play with these guys again,” Tedesco said.

Waerea-Hargreaves, who is set to return from a three-week for a high shot on Sam Verrills, was forced to watch the Roosters be bashed and beaten by Penrith last weekend.

Sam Walker suffered an ACL injury in the final regular season round. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Tedesco said the spiritual leader and veteran enforcer was the perfect antidote to the Roosters’ lack of physicality in week one of the finals.

“Don’t think you can be more physical than Jared. We definitely missed that, they (Penrith) came out and were rolling us and were more physical in defence,” Tedesco said.

“Jared is going to bring that himself but I think he is going to bring that to everyone around him as well.”

Saturday night’s clash will also double as Tedesco’s 250th NRL game. But the stalwart fullback said a win against the Sea Eagles was more important than any fanfare over the milestone match.

“It’s not at the forefront of my mind, it’s pretty cool to acknowledge that 250 (games). But there are more important things,” Tedesco said.

Originally published as NRL 2024: James Tedesco’s blunt response to questions over Roosters’ premiership credentials