Blues captain James Tedesco’s Origin moment to forget

Blues captain James Tedesco had a moment in Game 1 he will be desperate to banish from the memory banks as Queensland sealed another famous victory.

Lindsay Collins outjumps James Tedesco in Origin 1.

Blues captain James Tedesco’s terrible season may have just been captured in one key moment from Origin 1.

In the 76th minute, the Blues were still clinging to hope trailing 22-18 and with a one-man advantage.

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That was when a Daly Cherry-Evans bomb was plucked out of the air by Maroons prop Lindsay Collins, who comfortably outleapt his Roosters teammate Tedesco.

Collins kept his feet and found Cameron Munster for the match-sealing try as the Queenslanders rushed to the prop to celebrate.

It was another concerning moment for the NSW skipper, who has been well below his brilliant best for his club and now his state.

Lindsay Collins outjumps James Tedesco for the final try.

Lindsay Collins of the Maroons celebrates with teammates after Cameron Munster of the Maroons scored against New South Wales Blues at Adelaide Oval on May 31, 2023 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Just three minutes earlier, Tedesco had slipped badly in cover defence as a rampaging Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow put the Maroons in front.

With the Blues holding a two-point lead and seemingly all the advantages heading into the final 10 minutes, it was instead the shorthanded Queenslanders that ran all over NSW to seal another famous 26-18 triumph.

They now take a massive edge into Game 2 in Brisbane in three weeks’ time.

You know what I love most about this game sealing try for Cameron Munster? Absolutely no one goes to him to celebrate. They’re all rushing the Collins who did all the hard work. Brilliant! #stateoforiginpic.twitter.com/ACeDcxGmdd

— Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottlieb) May 31, 2023

Tedesco has been one of the Blues’ absolute best under coach Brad Fittler. But his form over the course of 2023 is a real concern.

His Roosters are sitting in 10th on the ladder and labouring through a difficult season to date.

Following last night’s performance, the 30-year-old was given a 4/10 player rating by Fox Sports’ James Hooper, equal with Jarome Luai and “beaten” only by late replacement Nicho Hynes’ 3/10 score.

“Slipped over to allow The Hammer to score the match-winner,” Hooper wrote. “Then got out-jumped by Lindsay Collins for the Maroons’ final try. Nowhere near some of the 11/10 performances we’ve seen previously. Held-up in opening half.”

James Tedesco didn’t have his usual impact. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

James Tedesco of the Blues is held up over the try line during Game 1. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Tedesco may have been thinking about himself when he was lost for answers as to what had gone wrong in the closing stages of the game.

“I’m not sure,” he said.

“I feel like we fought our way back into the game through hard work and effort but we probably just didn’t nail big moments and they did, especially at the end there.

“It felt like we worked hard to get ourselves back in the game and get ourselves in front and then we just wanted to be patient in the last 10 minutes with the ball and then with the dropout we didn’t get the ball back and then sort of went downhill from there.

“I’m not sure what to put that down to. As I said, they nailed some big moments.”

The pressure will no doubt ramp up on Brad Fittler to consider axing Tedesco for Game II, with Panthers fullback Dyland Edwards or current centre options Latrell Mitchell or Tom Trbojevic all potential options to replace him.