James Tedesco eager to move on from ‘sad’ king hit by Italy teammate Shannon Wakeman
JAMES Tedesco has revealed how he implored Italian officials to keep Shannon Wakeman in their World Cup team, despite being king-hit by his Azzurri teammate in a Cairns pub over a dispute involving the latter’s girlfriend.
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DRAMA: Tedesco king-hit by teammate
JAMES Tedesco has revealed how he implored Italian officials to keep Shannon Wakeman in their World Cup team, despite being king-hit by his Azzurri teammate less than 12 hours earlier in a Cairns pub.
Tedesco was out commiserating Italy’s shock loss to Ireland at the popular Pier Hotel just after 10.30pm when Wakeman blindsided him, believing the star fullback was propositioning his girlfriend, Aimee Bloomfield.
Tedesco fell to the ground and shocked teammates turned on Wakeman as security rushed to the ugly melee that spilled over a few outdoor tables.
Tedesco wasn’t injured in the surprise attack and eyewitnesses said he looked on in shock as his teammates leapt to his defence.
“It was just a miscommunication between myself and him, there were a few drinks and it quickly escalated,’’ Tedesco told The Daily Telegraph.
“We were all there after the loss, we wanted to get away from it all a bit. It’s sad it happened. The next morning we met, shook hands and apologised.
“It wouldn’t have been right if we had gotten rid of him.
“It took a bit of courage from both of us to admit we were wrong — it takes a bigger man not to hold a grudge.’’
The players were quickly ordered to leave the bar by coaching staff — not hotel security — and ushered back to the team hotel in taxis where coach Cameron Ciraldo addressed them.
WORLD CUP: Week two teams
The Daily Telegraph can reveal there was such initial anger with Wakeman, his hotel pass was confiscated and he was told to make his own arrangements home.
It was only when Tedesco pleaded with Ciraldo and other coaching staff the next morning to keep him on board that the 27-year-old Huddersfield prop was spared the axe.
Tedesco, who was keen to represent the Azzurri after he missed out on the Kangaroos, said the incident had only made him hungrier to turn their Cup campaign around.
“It wasn’t a good 24 hours for the team, a lot of people were expecting big things from us, and to have a disappointing loss, we’ll look to bounce back against the USA,’’ Tedesco said.
The star fullback was not part of a harbour cruise to Magnetic Island on Tuesday because of the intense media scrutiny after news of his dust-up surfaced.
Wakeman, who has vowed not to drink the remainder of the Cup, remained in Cairns an extra night before he rejoined the playing group in Townsville on Tuesday.
The incident report submitted by Italy to World Cup officials did not identify Tedesco or Wakeman.
Sadly the incident overshadowed what had been a brilliant build-up to the Ireland clash, with spirits at an all-time high just 24 hours earlier when former Roosters, NSW and Australian prop Craig Salvatori addressed the squad during the jersey presentation.
RLWC CEO Andrew Hill said the matter had been referred to the integrity unit, and Italian officials were co-operating with the organising committee.
Orazio D’arro, the president of the Italian Rugby League, said: “As a result of an internal review conducted on Monday, the Federazione Italian Rugby League (FIRL) of the incident, both players involved will appear before an internal review committee within the next 24 hours about their conduct during this incident.
“FIRL understands the importance of ensuring players are not to engage in conduct that is detrimental or damaging to rugby league or the Rugby League World Cup.
“Both players involved understand their obligations to the Rugby League World Cup and the acceptable behaviour in public.’’
Tedesco and Wakeman will both be fined $10,000 by the Italian Rugby League, with the money to be donated to the women’s game back home.