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NRL SuperCoach analysis Thursday: Dylan Edwards makes short work of fullback battle with Tedesco

Dylan Edwards clearly outpointed his high-class rival in what was a brilliant battle of the fullbacks. Find out all the SuperCoach studs and duds from Thursday night.

Matthew ElkertonMatthew Elkerton
@m_elkerton
8 min read
March 28, 2024 - 4:00PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
James Tedesco has been well contained by the Panthers over the course of his career. Picture: Getty Images
James Tedesco has been well contained by the Panthers over the course of his career. Picture: Getty Images

Dylan Edwards has stood up and made it clear: no Cleary, no worries for the Panthers.

The Penrith fullback was sublime at the back, stepping up his workrate in attack in the absence of Cleary to steer the Panthers to a ninth-straight win over the Roosters, out-muscling their rivals 22-16.

James Tedesco scored some junk points late but the fullback was smothered by the Panthers.
James Tedesco scored some junk points late but the fullback was smothered by the Panthers.

SuperCoach’s third highest purchased player this week James Tedesco had his attacking flair snuffed out by a Panthers side who refused to give an inch to their rivals until the final 10 minutes.

The Roosters scored two late tries through Brandon Smith and Daniel Tupou scored in the final 10 minutes to give the Roosters one final shot at golden point, but really it just made the scoreline more flattering.

While two questionable obstruction calls from the Bunker, one a no-try and the other a try, will drive the post-game debate, they really didn’t have an impact on a game that was dominated by the Panthers middle forwards.

Check out our full list of SuperCoach winners and losers below, and scroll down to see how the game played out.

SC WINNERS

1. Dylan Edwards (FLB) - 112pts: The Panthers fullback was tipped to step up in Cleary’s absence and he did in a big way. Huge workrate as always, and his solo try was a thing of beauty. It’s criminal how stacked the fullback position is for talent.

2. Sunia Turuva (CTW) - 107pts: This one is slightly controversial but it is hard to keep a centurion out of the winner’s list. Obviously aided by scoring three tries, and that won’t happen every week. Wingers can be rocks and diamonds, and this week Tino shined bright.

3. Terrell May (FRF) - 78pts: You little beauty. He was the worst kept secret in the lead up to the season, and the Roosters tearaway has rewarded the 62,681 owners who put faith in him. His minutes look sound with Spencer Leniu still a month away and Lindsay Collins racing the clock for next week.

4. Nat Butcher (2RF) - 69pts: With no Lindsay Collins, Butcher stepped up his minutes in the middle and his workrate reflected it. Tackled his tail off in the middle with a whopping 58 tackles to go with six points in hit-ups. Huge base.

5. Brad Schneider (HFB) 61pts: Give the kid some credit. He stepped into the biggest shoes in the NRL tonight, and he more than held his own. His kicking game was sublime and he ran the ball enough times to show signs that there is life for the Panthers through Origin.

Sunia Turuva scored a hat trick as the Panthers ran wild over the Roosters.
Sunia Turuva scored a hat trick as the Panthers ran wild over the Roosters.

SC LOSERS

1. Taylan May - 22 pts: Frustrated owners, and there are plenty of us out there, must be questioning what is going on. He started the season with a blaze, scored 60 in a scoreless team in Round 2, and since then has gone missing.

2. Liam Martin - 23 pts: He might have made it back on the field briefly in the second half, but a potential AC injury will have new Blues coach Madge McGuire a touch nervous.

3. Dom Young - 28 pts: The Roosters off-season recruit is surprisingly owned by a fair few SuperCoaches, finding himself in more than 12 per cent of teams. He struggled on the end of an attack which was smothered.

4. James Tedesco - 67pts: He will rise in cash to reward the players who jumped on the train, but those expecting Teddy to maintain his 100 point average will be sorely disappointed. He was on a paltry 13 points at half-time but enjoyed some late rises in the final 10 minutes.

5. Izack Tago - 48pts: The high-flying Panthers centre was brought crashing back to Earth after a fantastic start to the season. The ball kept bypassing him on the right, but you know that he won’t be long out of the points with the Panthers killing it down that edge.

50TH MIN: BUNKER CAUSES MORE CONFUSION

Who knows what is an obstruction anymore?

I know we complained about the Bunker finding ways to take tries off teams earlier, but at least show consistency.

The Panthers stroll across for their third try of the game, but there was definite question marks on a lead run from Liam Martin.

We wait so often for try confirmed to show on the screen, is it worth the referee making a signal on the field at all anymore?

Turuva has now notched a hat trick, and more importantly 104 SuperCoach points, as the Panthers running away with this game.

It is the first hat trick in the NRL for the flying Fijian, but the damage is being done to the Roosters in the middle of the field.

The Panthers might have key players out, but the loss of Lindsay Collins might be much more harmful than first realised.

Isaah Yeo has been phenomenal through the middle, while Lindsay Smith and Moses Leota have been a more than capable support cast.

HALF-TIME: ROOSTERS HIT BACK ON THE SIREN

What a way to head to the halftime break and close what has been a sensational first half.

Sitili Tupouniua has closed the gap eight points after diving full stretch to touch down on the end of a Sam Walker grubber.

But the Roosters will ultimately be left to rue what might have been after they were disallowed a four pointer from a controversial obstruction call.

Joey Manu has been the Roosters best in the first half, causing troubles for the Panthers defence every time he touches it. He has also looked good off the ball, ouch.

But in terms of the exciting fullbacks battle, Dylan Edwards is ruling the roost over James Tedesco.

Edwards has more than 150 metres from 13 runs, two tackle breaks, a try and a try assist.

The Panthers No. 1 is easily leading the way in SuperCoach live scores with 62 points at the half.

Terrell May is keeping his high-ownership rather happy after notching 33 points in a solid first stint.

All those who bought James tedesco this week, look away now. The Roosters champion is languishing on 13 points, and has looked almost off the pace out there. He could be higher though if he hadn’t been robbed of a try assist.

HALFTIME SC LEADERS

1. Dylan Edwards - 62 points

2. Sunia Turuva - 43 points

3. Isaah Yeo - 41 points

=3. Sitili Tupouniua - 41 points

5. Terrell May - 33 points

What could have been? Joey Manu was denied this cracking try due to Bunker intervention.
What could have been? Joey Manu was denied this cracking try due to Bunker intervention.

25 MIN: OBSTRUCTION-GATE STRIKES AGAIN

It might not be the exact same as the Jake Trbojevic last week, but the result is just as bad.

Joey Manu scored the best no-try of the season so far, touching down mid-hand stand, only for the bunker to take it away for an obstruction 25 metres away.

JWH gets pinged for going through the line by 15 metres, before Dylan Edwards ran into his back.

I know rules are rules, but two weeks in a row we are left scratching our heads.

Oh and Teddy just missed out on a try-assist. Cue the outrage.

Liam Martin has had extra padding applied to his shoulder, and is expected to return albeit in a new jumper after they had to cut his last one off his body.

15 MIN: LUAI AND SCHNEIDER ON TOP, EDWARDS STARRING

The Panthers are absolutely purring.

Dylan Edwards is leading the way on the scoring after setting up Turuva and then grubbering through for himself to score two minutes later.

Jerome Luai is getting his hands on the ball and causing headaches for the Roosters defence.

Even better for Edwards owners — all 7000-plus of you – is the fact he has the kicking tee in Cleary’s absence and can’t miss.

Wearing the biggest shoes in the NRL, Brad Schneider has looked great to start this game with the Townsville product involved in nearly every play.

He had a hand in the first try of the game through dimunitive winger Tino Turuva.

In bad news for the Panthers, Blues backrower Liam Martin has left the field clutching at his shoulder in the opening 10 minutes of the game.

15 MINS TO KICK-OFF: TEDESCO WATCH STARTS NOW

While there are still plenty of big names in this game, with Yeo and Edwards up against Tedesco and Warea-Hargreaves, there is still a slight disappointing feeling coming into it.

This was marked on the calendar as a head-to-head between two of the best players in SuperCoach in Cleary and Tedesco.

That had only become more exciting with the sizzling form of Teddy over the start of the season, but not to be with Cleary out for an expected 4-6 weeks.

James Tedesco of the Roosters warms up during the round four NRL match between Sydney Roosters and Penrith Panthers at Allianz Stadium.
James Tedesco of the Roosters warms up during the round four NRL match between Sydney Roosters and Penrith Panthers at Allianz Stadium.

The Chooks fullback has averaged a competition-high 102.7 points over the first three rounds and more than 14,000 SuperCoaches responded accordingly with Tedesco the third-most purchsed player this week behind Tigers duo Api Koroisau (+31,954) and Api Koroisau (+19,346).

Teddy is the second-most popular vice-captain option this week, but coaches will need to temper their expectations with the current Panthers crop the toughest team to notch the ton against.

Without their talismanic halfback, the Panthers are likely to put even more focus on their defence, and they will be quick to shutdown the Roosters evergreen No. 1.

And with this, we’re off:

LATE MAIL: PANTHERS, ROOSTERS UNCHANGED

Trent Robinson and Ivan Cleary have both avoided making any late switches to their line-ups with the teams heading into the Thursday night blockbuster 1-17.

It means Terrell May has kept his spot in the starting side following an injury to Lindsay Collins last weekend.

With the Roosters bench featuring Connor Watson and a backrower in Angus Crichton, owners can feel comfortable May will see an increase in minutes, and hopefully workload.

On the other side of the field, Mavrik Geyer will make his NRL debut for the Panthers off the bench while former Raider and national schoolboys champion halfback Brad Schneider replaces Nathan Cleary.

This could be good news for Dylan Edwards owners, with the workhorse fullback expected to take on more work with ball in hand.

EARLIER: The Penrith Panthers have absolutely owned the Roosters in recent history winning the past eight matches between the two powerhouse clubs.

But, there’s a glimmer of hope for the boys from Bondi, with injuries hitting the Panthers hard and Allianz Stadium proving a happy hunting ground of late (the Roosters have won seven of their last nine games at the ground).

For SuperCoaches there is plenty at stake tonight with Taylan May (44%), Terrell May (41%), Liam Henry (16%) and James Tedesco (12%) all boasting double-figure ownership rates.

James Tedesco has been well contained by the Panthers over the course of his career. Picture: Getty Images
James Tedesco has been well contained by the Panthers over the course of his career. Picture: Getty Images

Tedesco rewarded owners handsomely in round three scoring 135 points against the Rabbitohs and he boasts a three round average of 102.7PPG, but temper your expectations against the Premiers with Teddy having a career average of just 60.4PPG against Penrith.

May (Taylan) spent 15 minutes in the HIA ‘bin’ last week and thus scored just 30 points against the Broncos. A bounce back is to be expected against the Roosters, though keep in mind the fact that the Roosters have conceded the fewest points of any team after three rounds and with star half Nathan Cleary missing the Penrith attack will be diminished.

Henry had an outing in round three making the most of the absence of James Fisher-Harris and provided ‘Fish’ does not make a miraculous recovery he’s a legitimate play in your best-17 this week too.

May (Terrell) had a quiet round last week, but the minutes held up and you can largely put his poor score down to gameplay with the Roosters dominating Souths and thus May getting less work in defence. Hold and play.

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Originally published as NRL SuperCoach analysis Thursday: Dylan Edwards makes short work of fullback battle with Tedesco

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