NRL 2015: Titans fear Tigers fullback James Tedesco

YOU could forgive Gold Coast coach Neil Henry for being extra wary of a man capable of doing backflips but he’s got a Tiger tearaway to worry about tonight.

NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 17: James Tedesco of the Tigers is tackled by the Knights defence during the round 10 NRL match between the Newcastle Knights and the Wests Tigers at Hunter Stadium on May 17, 2015 in Newcastle, Australia. (Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images)

YOU could forgive Gold Coast coach Neil Henry for being extra wary of a man capable of doing backflips.

But it’s not Daly Cherry-Evans who has the Titans coach losing sleep any more, it’s Wests Tigers fullback James Tedesco.

Tedesco, the gun fullback who backed out of a Canberra deal last year to stay at the Tigers, looms as the biggest attacking threat the Titans must conquer tonight at Leichhardt Oval to relaunch their season.

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Tiger James Tedesco in action. Picture: Brett Costello

After the contractual drama over Cherry-Evans in recent days Henry needs a win if only to divert attention from the giant hole left in their 2016 recruitment plans to show there is light still left in the 2015 tunnel.

“The fact that players are coming or not coming, that is next year. We’re not talking about that now, it’s not relevant,” Henry said.

“The boys have been pretty resilient with whatever has been happening around the club and there have been a few things since preseason but we get on with the game.

“We’re thinking about what we can do with this squad and we think we can do something special and I think we need to get on a bit of a run and get some results.

“The competition is that tight we need to string a few games together.

“This is a very important game … Wests Tigers need to win as well as there is a lot of congestion around that bottom eight.”

Stopping Tedesco, who has two tries, three linebreaks and 13 tackles busts in his past two games against the Titans is priority No.1 tonight.

Add winger Pat Richards to the mix, who has four tries, four linebreaks, 12 tackle busts and a game winning field goal from his last three games against the Titans and it’s clear two men have done the most damage to the Gold Coast.

“Tedesco is still really dangerous at the back,” Henry said.

James Tedesco is the player the Titans fear most. Picture: Gregg Porteous

“I think Pat Richards has a few points against us as well so we need to stop that trend.

“They’re a dangerous side as well if you give them a bit of space. Certainly they attack your line and they don’t mind throwing the ball around particularly on the last play.”

Skipper Nate Myles said the Titans were preparing to face a Tigers outfit ready to play attacking football again after they were widely criticised for a scoreless defeat to a North Queensland outfit missing four Origin stars.

With the Titans 13th with a 4-7 record but only one win outside the top eight Myles believes it is now or never for their season..

“For sure we need to win every game, we’re not on the right side of the scoring sheet yet,” Myles said.

“We need to start winning and building otherwise our run is going to be too late and I think any more losses is going to hurt us too much.”

Originally published as NRL 2015: Titans fear Tigers fullback James Tedesco