Tedesco ready to lead

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TOWNSVILLE: The New South Wales captaincy was thrust upon him unexpectedly last year, but ahead of tonight’s State of Origin opener James Tedesco finally feels confident in his ability to carry the responsibility.
But he still misses his mate.With Boyd Cordner sidelined with concussion concerns, his Sydney Roosters teammate Tedesco has taken on the leadership job at club and state level. Cordner is yet to make it back on the NRL field after suffering a concussion in last year’s series opener in Adelaide. Blues coach Brad Fittler has confirmed Cordner won’t be picked at all to play for the Blues this season, although he’s nearing a return for the Roosters.
Tedesco, especially, is missing his presence in both teams. “He’s looking fitter and stronger than ever, which is hard to believe but he looks really refreshed,” Tedesco told AAP.
“I can’t wait to get back playing with him, it’s been a little while. “You miss his presence everywhere, I guess. “I miss his presence at Roosters as well.  “He has that as a person, when he talks or the way he plays, people want to follow him and he’s a great leader. I miss him.”  The captaincy was a weight that didn’t sit completely comfortably with Tedesco in 2020 but with another series under his belt he’s warmed into his role as the Blues’ elder statesman. The 28-year-old is the most-capped Blues player in Brad Fittler’s side with 13 Origins, with Nathan Cleary, Damien Cook and Josh Addo-Carr closing in on him. But in a side stacked with rising young stars and a handful of rookies, Tedesco is forced to put his own Blues career into perspective. “Last year I hadn’t really done it before and now this year I’m doing it at the Roosters and getting to go again here at Origin,” he said. “I definitely feel more comfortable as a leader and being the guy to look upon at training and in the games. “It’s funny, you come in as a young bloke and you’re the young guy and a few years later you’re the experienced oldest guy, it’s funny how it changes like that.” – AAP


Cleary, Luai continue partnership from 2013

TOWNSVILLE: Brett Atkinson knew he had something pretty special when he first paired Jarome Luai and Nathan Cleary up in the under-16s at Penrith. But special enough to one day run out as New South Wales’ halves in a State of Origin series opener? Not even Atkinson would have dared predict that. “You sort of have an inkling on who you think might make it,” Penrith’s former Harold Matthews Cup coach told AAP.
“They are two guys who I thought might go on and play first grade. “Both of them had a lot of natural ability, it was just about learning the game.
“But ultimately there are a lot of years between Harold Matts or even SG Ball to playing first grade.” Much has changed for Luai and Cleary since those early days in 2013. But the two teenagers Atkinson describes aren’t that dissimilar to the pair who have won 46 of 48 games playing in the halves together since their under-20s days. Luai was still the softly spoken young kid off the field who played with so much flair and enthusiasm on it. Cleary was the new kid on the block after moving across from New Zealand, already a student of the game by growing up with an NRL coach as his father. – AAP


Gould criticises Maroons over team list

Rabbitohs prop Keaon Koloamatangi training with the New South Wales Blues. – nswrlpic

TOWNSVILLE: Rugby league icon Phil Gould has accused Queensland of “arrogance” after slamming a bizarre move from the Maroons in the lead-up to tonight’s series opener in Townsville. The Maroons — battling several fitness issues before game one — named their team list before the opening match at Queensland Country Bank Stadium. However, rather than the traditional way of naming the players in their numbers and positions, the Maroons revealed their game one squad in alphabetical order. New South Wales on the other hand named their 19-man squad in positions but the Maroons kept the rugby league world guessing about the squad make-up. Question marks have surrounded Dane Gagai but he had returned to training on yesterday. – Yahoo Sports Australia


Yeo playing in memory of late uncle

TOWNSVILLE: Isaah Yeo only has to glance at his left shoulder to know who he will be representing when he runs out in the No.13 jersey for New South Wales (NSW) in tonight’s State of Origin series opener in Townsville. Like his father Justin and other male family members, Yeo has a tattoo with the name of his late uncle Gerard and the date of the Bali bombing on October 12, 2002 in honour of the then 20 year-old, who was one of six Coogee Dolphins players killed in the terror attack. Yet it is also a reminder for the Penrith co-captain of how far the Yeo family’s rugby league roots extend and the support they received in Dubbo, where Isaah is considered the “perfect role model” for aspiring juniors because of the sacrifices he made to achieve his NRL dream. “I was only in Year 2 at the time, but it was obviously hard for our family and I’m sure if you asked them now it would still be as hard as the day it happened,” Yeo said.
“You wouldn’t wish something like that on your worst enemy.  “It is obviously not a nice thing to happen to anyone but the silver lining when you are from a country town, and you are a big family, is that everyone really rallies around you. I remember a lot of nice things about people coming around to make sure all the family was supported.” A Dubbo CYMS junior, Yeo is one of just three players in the NSW squad not from the city or coast, along with Penrith teammate Liam Martin (Temora Dragons) and Canberra star Jack Wighton (Orange CYMS). – NRL


Blues’ Murray grateful for opportunity

TOWNSVILLE: Even for Wayne Bennett, it was a downright weird thing to say. After all the misfortune Cameron Murray has endured since last November’s State of Origin series, from torn hamstring to troublesome ankle, the last thing he needed was his coach twisting the knife the night before selection for the Origin opener. “Obviously, it was a crusher,” the Souths coach informed reporters after the 38-20 smash-up of Parramatta, referring to the moment in the 15th minute when Murray had come down awkwardly on the back of winger Blake Ferguson. “It’s in the hands of the judiciary now. If he gets a week, well, he misses Origin. “It won’t impact on South Sydney so I could be even happy, which I find it hard to imagine.” This was Murray’s first match in weeks because of his issues with syndesmosis, his last chance to prove to New South Wales coach Brad Fittler he was ready to roll in Origin I. “Yeah, I heard,” Murray said of Bennett’s remarks.  The match review committee didn’t agree with Bennett, allowing Murray to take his place in the Blues side for the opening match of the series. – SMH


Cook backs teammate Mitchell

TOWNSVILLE: For all the conjecture about Latrell Mitchell’s return to Origin, his club and state teammate Damien Cook put it into perspective by declaring: “This is where he belongs.” Mitchell will make his first appearance in a Blues jersey since he was dropped in controversial circumstances after the 2019 series opener, named alongside Manly fullback Tom Trbojevic in the centres for tonight’s match in Townsville. The superstar Rabbitohs fullback has been reluctant to speak to the media about his recall in the lead-up to the match but Cook said he deserved his spot and it was up to the Blues forwards to ensure the likes of Mitchell, Trbojevic and captain James Tedesco to shine. “It is great to see Latrell back,” Cook said.  “This is where he belongs.  “He is an Origin player. “He is one of the best players in our game so this is where he needs to be, and it is good to see him back in the jersey. “With the likes of Latrell, Tedesco and Trbojevic, you just needed to find a spot to fit them all in and that is what Freddy has done. “I told Turbo that it has been good fun watching him this year. “He has been playing some outstanding footy and the way that Manly has gone to another level since he has been back as well. “We know what to expect from Teddy and that is why we set the bar so high for him now, because he is just an outstanding player. “To have all three of them in the squad just gives you a lot of confidence.” Cook and Mitchell are among eight Souths players in the rival Origin camps, including centre Campbell Graham and second-rower Keaon Koloamatangi, who are the respective 19th and 20th man for the Blues. The club with the next highest representation is Penrith, who have seven players in the NSW and Queensland squads. – NRL