NRL 2023: James Tedesco on Joey Manu’s fitness, Joseph Suaalii’s future and bitter rivalry with South Sydney

Roosters skipper James Tedesco has opened up about Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s future, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves costly brain snap before his team’s biggest game of the season and much more.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 10: James Tedesco of the Roosters runs the ball during the round 15 NRL match between Sydney Roosters and Penrith Panthers at Allianz Stadium on June 10, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

Friday night’s clash against fierce rivals South Sydney is do-or-die for the Sydney Roosters, but skipper James Tedesco is clear on one thing – it won’t be Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s last at the club.

After signing a lucrative three-year deal with Rugby Australia worth $5 million dollars, Suaalii’s immediate future at Bondi has been the source of constant speculation.

While the 20-year-old isn’t due to make the code switch until 2025, there have been suggestions he could exit the club at the end of the season.

But Tedesco is convinced a loss against the Rabbitohs won’t signal the end of Suaalii’s time at Bondi.

“I don’t think that will happen (leave in 2024), I highly doubt that,” Tedesco said.

An indifferent season for the Roosters has left the side at risk of missing the top eight but also put Suaalii’s own form slump under the microscope.

But Tedesco said his young teammate is no longer ‘weighed down’ by the wave of criticism he has copped since deciding to switch codes.

“He’s got his confidence back, you can see that with how he’s playing. He’s been one of our best. He’s been dynamic for us,” Tedesco said.

“For everyone, the first half of the year confidence was a bit down, we weren’t getting results. But we spoke a lot about getting the joy back into our footy and you can see that with Joey.

“He had the off-field stuff at the start of the year, lot of external noise probably weighed him down a bit.”

Tedesco is adamant Suaalii will remain a Rooster. NRL PHOTOS.

WAEREA-HARGREAVES RED LINE

While Tedesco is certain Suaalii will be in the Tricolours next year, one key cog that won’t be there on Friday night, or the next seven games, is enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.

The veteran prop accepted a three-game ban for headbutting Tigers forward Stefano Utoikamanu before failing to have his shot on Api Koroisau downgraded at the judiciary, adding another four weeks to his ban.

Waerea-Hargreaves knows the Roosters will miss his 292-game experience in the side’s biggest game of the season.

“Sometimes, some brain snap, doing something silly can cost us a bit. He knows deep down … that’s why he apologised,” Tedesco said.

“I guess that’s the fine line of it turning into suspensions or sin-bins, that’s when he knows that crossed the line.

“Jared is disappointed, he felt like he let the boys down … crossing that line a bit and getting suspended. It sucks. Jared has been a warrior for us, he’s led from the front for us.

“Jared the way he plays, it’s hard because he is aggressive and that’s how we love him to play. Whether how he carries the ball, how he defends. That’s what we love about him.”

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves will miss the next seven games. Picture: NRL Photos

FIERCE RIVALRY, UNTAMED EMOTION

Crossing the line cost Waerea-Hargreaves a mammoth ban and Tedesco knows controlling emotions will be the difference between staying alive in the finals race or an early pre-season.

Friday night’s blockbuster will not only write another chapter in the infamous Book of Feuds, it could determine the finals’ fate of either of the bitter rivals.

Like it did in week one of last year’s finals series, where the Rabbitohs ended the Rosters’ campaign in week one of the finals in a battle that had a record seven sin-bins as emotions spilled over.

Tedesco conceded the emotion of the bitter rivalry got the better of the Roosters.

“We’ve addressed that right after the final. That’s what cost us,” Tedesco said.

“We played them the week before and had a good win. Then the next week was sin bins and we were off our game.

“We let that emotion get the better of us. So it’s been discussed during the year as well. We need to be better with our emotions, we play an aggressive type of footy.

“Sin bins, it costs you a lot. It turns the game and the momentum shifts.

“We’re definitely aware of it, we can’t get caught up in it. It will cost us.”

The Bunnies beat the Roosters in last year’s finals. Picture: NRL Photos

LATRELL MITCHELL

Tedesco, who won two premierships alongside Latrell Mitchell at the Roosters, rubbished the recent attacks on his former teammate’s character..

“To be honest, I haven‘t read any of the articles. I learned that early in my career that’s just the media talking. I’ve had plenty written about me, every top footballer has. When you are at the top, there are going to be doubters that say what they want about you,” Tedesco said.

“Trell knows who he is as a person, as a player … you don‘t need to read anything about yourself. Whether it’s positive or negative to confirm what you know about yourself.”

On the brink of missing out on a finals berth, the Rabbitohs imploded last week after a series of leaks that alleged superstar Latrell Mitchell and five-eighth Cody Walker.

Mitchell, who is out of Friday’s clash suspended, was also at the centre of a scathing text message by Rod Churchill, the son of champion fullback Clive Churchill, accusing the fullback of being a blight on the club.

Churchill has since apologised for the heavy handed comments.

Tedesco rubbished the questioning of Mitchell’s character. Pic by Max Mason-Hubers

SOUTH SYDNEY UNDER SIEGE

After reviving their season with four-straight wins, the Roosters won’t be taking the Rabbitohs lightly despite the club coming under siege amid allegations of player unrest and assistant coach Sam Burgess standing down from his role at the club.

Tedesco is expecting the off-field drama to galvanise the Rabbitohs, making the side an even greater threat on Friday night.

“It doesn’t matter who we are playing, it’s about putting our best foot forward. We know there is a lot of build up and external talk about this rivalry,” Tedesco said.

“The crowd will be huge as well, but we need to know what we have to do.

“Every time we play Souths it’s a higher intensity. I’m expecting that to be the same to when we played them in the last game and finals last year. Both teams are going to be up for it.”

Originally published as NRL 2023: James Tedesco on Joey Manu’s fitness, Joseph Suaalii’s future and bitter rivalry with South Sydney