James Tedesco facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Full name | James Tedesco | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 8 January 1993 Ryde, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Height | 184 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 95 kg (14 st 13 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Playing information
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| Position | Fullback | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 27 September 2024
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James Tedesco (born 8 January 1993), also known as "Teddy", is a professional rugby league player. He plays as a fullback and is the captain for the Sydney Roosters in the NRL. He also captains the Australian national team. James Tedesco is considered one of the best fullbacks in rugby league history.
He used to play for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League. He has also played for Italy and Australia in international games. Tedesco has played for the Prime Minister's XIII, New South Wales City, and New South Wales in the State of Origin series. He won two NRL championships with the Roosters in 2018 and 2019.
Contents
- Early Life & Rugby League Start
- James Tedesco's Playing Journey
- Starting Out in Junior Teams
- First Steps in the NRL: 2012
- Bouncing Back & International Play: 2013
- Injuries & Decisions: 2014
- Strong Comeback: 2015
- Origin Debut & More Injuries: 2016
- Moving to the Roosters: 2017
- Roosters Success & Awards: 2018
- Winning More Titles: 2019
- Continued Excellence: 2020
- More Tries & Awards: 2021
- World Cup Champion: 2022
- Captaincy & Challenges: 2023
- Recent Season: 2024
- Career Statistics
- Personal Life
Early Life & Rugby League Start
James Tedesco was born in Ryde, New South Wales, Australia. His family has Italian roots. He grew up on a large property in Menangle that even had its own football field. James started playing junior rugby league with the Camden Rams. His father shared that James often had to work hard to make teams. But once he was on a team, he usually became one of the best players.
Tedesco went to St Gregory's College, Campbelltown. When he was in year 7, Chris Lawrence was in year 12. Lawrence had already started playing for the Wests Tigers, the same team James would later join.
James Tedesco's Playing Journey
Starting Out in Junior Teams
James Tedesco played on the wing for the Western Suburbs Magpies in the Harold Matthews Cup. His teammate David Nofoaluma played fullback.
In 2010, he was chosen for the Australian Schoolboys team. James said this experience helped him believe in his own skills. He realized he had talent and just needed the confidence to show it.
Tedesco began the 2011 season in the S. G. Ball Cup. He was then moved up to the Wests Tigers NYC team. In only his third game, he scored four tries, which was a club record. He was named the team's player of the year.
First Steps in the NRL: 2012
Other clubs wanted Tedesco, leading to a "bidding war" between the Wests Tigers and St George Illawarra. The Tigers signed him until the end of 2014. He was named fullback for the team's first trial game.
Tedesco was in the starting team for the first game of the season against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. Sadly, he injured his knee in the 30th minute. This injury, a torn ACL, ended his season. His teammate Benji Marshall said it was sad to see such a talented player get hurt.
Bouncing Back & International Play: 2013
Tedesco returned to the top league in round 4 of the 2013 season. He played on the wing for four weeks.
In April, he was picked for NSW City in the annual City vs Country Origin match. He had only played four NRL games at that time, making him the least experienced player ever in the match. Tedesco played fullback in City's 18–12 loss.
He played most of the rest of the season at fullback. He scored 8 tries in 19 games. He even played for months with a cracked bone in his leg.
At the end of the season, Tedesco played for Italy in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. He played at right centre and scored a try in Italy's win over Wales.
Injuries & Decisions: 2014
In February, Tedesco was part of the Tigers' first Auckland Nines team.
He signed a contract with the Canberra Raiders for 2015. However, a week later, Tedesco changed his mind and decided to stay with the Tigers. During a game against the Raiders, Tedesco fractured his kneecap just 15 seconds into the match. This injury ended his season. He finished the season with 8 games and 6 tries.
Strong Comeback: 2015
After a great game in round 2, people started talking about Tedesco playing for State of Origin. He felt ready, but his coach thought it was too soon.
Between August 2013 and round 7 of 2015, Tedesco scored 18 tries in 19 games. He played every game in 2015. He led the competition in tackle breaks and was the third-highest try-scorer. He was named in the NRL website's Team of the Year.
Origin Debut & More Injuries: 2016
Tedesco started the 2016 season by scoring two tries in round 1. He then scored his first hat-trick (three tries in one game) in round 2. He got a shoulder injury in round 9, which meant he couldn't play for City Origin. At that time, he was the top try-scorer in the competition.
He was expected to play for New South Wales in the first State of Origin game. But he was injured and missed the first two games. He finally made his debut in game 3. He ran for 258 metres, the most of any player in the game. Many believed he would be the NSW fullback for years to come.
Later in the year, Tedesco broke his jaw, ending his season. He still scored 14 tries in 17 games for the Tigers. He was named the fullback in the Dally M team of the year.
Moving to the Roosters: 2017
In 2017, Tedesco and other Tigers players were in the news because their contracts were ending. On May 3, it was announced that Tedesco signed a four-year contract with the Sydney Roosters, starting in 2018.
Tedesco played fullback in all three games of the 2017 State of Origin series. He scored a try in game 1, but NSW lost the series.
He finished his last year with the Wests Tigers playing 21 games and scoring 5 tries. On September 12, Tedesco was voted player of the year by his fellow players.
He also played for the Prime Minister's XIII against Papua New Guinea. He scored three tries in their big win. Tedesco was later named in the Italy squad for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. He played in all three matches for Italy and scored two tries.
Roosters Success & Awards: 2018
Tedesco played his first game for the Sydney Roosters in a loss to his old club, the Wests Tigers. He was booed by Tigers fans every time he touched the ball. In Round 2, he scored his first try for the Roosters.
On May 28, Tedesco kept his spot at fullback for NSW and won his first Origin man of the match award. On September 10, he won the Brad Fittler medal as NSW's best player in the 2018 State of Origin series.
Tedesco was a key part of the Roosters team that won the minor premiership. On September 30, he played fullback in Sydney's 21–6 win over Melbourne in the 2018 NRL Grand Final.
His great first year at the Roosters ended with him winning the Jack Gibson Medal, given to the club's best player. He also made his debut for the Australian Kangaroos.
Winning More Titles: 2019
Tedesco played in all three games of New South Wales' successful Origin campaign in 2019. He won the Wally Lewis Medal for the best player in the series. He scored two tries in the deciding game, with the second one winning NSW the game in the final minute.
On October 2, Tedesco won the 2019 Dally M Medal as the NRL's best player. The Sydney Roosters finished second in the regular season.
In the preliminary final against Melbourne, Tedesco scored the winning try in a 14–8 victory. In the 2019 NRL Grand Final against Canberra, Tedesco scored the winning try in the second half. This meant the Sydney Roosters won their second straight championship, and Tedesco won his second premiership.
On October 7, Tedesco was named fullback for the Australian team in their Oceania Cup game against New Zealand.
Continued Excellence: 2020
On February 22, Tedesco played for the Roosters when they won the 2020 World Club Challenge, beating St Helens 20–12.
In round 5, Tedesco scored a hat-trick as the Sydney Roosters beat Canterbury-Bankstown 42–6. In round 17, he scored two tries in a win against Canberra.
In the 2020 semi-final, Tedesco scored two tries, but the Roosters lost to Canberra. This ended their chance of winning a third straight championship.
He won the Jack Gibson Medal for the third year in a row, a first for any player.
Tedesco was chosen for New South Wales in the 2020 State of Origin series. He played in all three games and was captain for games 2 and 3. New South Wales lost the series 2–1.
On December 7, Tedesco signed a new contract to stay at the Sydney Roosters until the end of 2024.
More Tries & Awards: 2021
In round 1 of the 2021 NRL season, Tedesco scored a hat-trick in the Sydney Roosters' big win over Manly-Warringah. The next week, he scored two tries and kicked two goals against his old club, the Wests Tigers. He captained the Roosters for the first time in this game.
On May 30, he was selected for game one of the 2021 State of Origin series.
In round 19, Tedesco helped the Roosters win against the Newcastle Knights. He ran for 224 metres, had four try assists, and led his team to their 12th win of the season.
In round 22, he scored two tries for the Sydney Roosters in a close win over Brisbane. The next week, Tedesco was named man of the match. He scored a try and helped set up four others in the club's win over St. George Illawarra.
On September 27, 2021, Tedesco won the Dally M Captain of the Year award. He played 22 games for the Sydney Roosters in the 2021 NRL season. The Sydney Roosters were knocked out in the second week of the finals.
World Cup Champion: 2022
In round 9 of the 2022 NRL season, Tedesco scored a hat-trick in the club's big win over the Gold Coast. On May 29, Tedesco was chosen by New South Wales to play in game one of the 2022 State of Origin series.
Tedesco played in all three games for New South Wales, but they lost the series 2–1. In round 18, Tedesco scored two tries in a win over St. George Illawarra.
He played 24 games for the Sydney Roosters in 2022, scoring 13 tries. At the end of the season, Tedesco was named the Rugby League Players Association Players' Champion for the third time.
In October, he was named in the Australian squad for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.
Tedesco was part of the Australian team that won their 12th World Cup. They beat Samoa 30-10 in the final. Tedesco was named man of the match after scoring two tries.
Captaincy & Challenges: 2023
On May 22, Tedesco was named captain of New South Wales for game one of the 2023 State of Origin series.
In round 14 of the 2023 NRL season, Tedesco scored two tries in the Sydney Roosters' close win over Canterbury.
Tedesco played in all three matches for New South Wales in the 2023 State of Origin series, which they lost 2-1. There was a lot of talk about whether he would keep his spot. However, he played in game three and helped New South Wales win 24-10.
In round 25, Tedesco scored two tries for the Sydney Roosters in their win over Parramatta. He had to leave the field in the second half due to a concussion.
Tedesco played 21 games for the Sydney Roosters in the 2023 NRL season. The club finished 7th and made the finals. Tedesco played in both of the club's finals games.
Recent Season: 2024
In round 3 of the 2024 NRL season, Tedesco scored two tries for the Sydney Roosters in their big win over South Sydney. In round 5, Tedesco had to leave the field after suffering his 10th concussion in his career.
In round 12, Tedesco scored two tries for the Sydney Roosters in their win over Canberra.
On May 26, it was announced that Tedesco had not been chosen by New South Wales for the 2024 State of Origin series. He had played 22 State of Origin games in a row since 2016.
However, on June 1, Tedesco was called into the New South Wales team. He replaced Dylan Edwards, who got injured during training. Tedesco played 25 matches for the Sydney Roosters in the 2024 NRL season, scoring 17 tries. He played in all three finals games for the club.
Career Statistics
| Year | Team | Games | Tries | Goals | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 |  Wests Tigers |
1 | |||
| 2013 | 19 | 8 | 32 | ||
| 2014 | 8 | 6 | 24 | ||
| 2015 | 24 | 17 | 68 | ||
| 2016 | 17 | 14 | 56 | ||
| 2017 | 21 | 5 | 20 | ||
| 2018 |  Sydney Roosters |
25 | 9 | 36 | |
| 2019 | 24 | 18 | 72 | ||
| 2020 | 19 | 11 | 44 | ||
| 2021 | 22 | 9 | 5 | 46 | |
| 2022 | 24 | 13 | 52 | ||
| 2023 | 22 | 11 | 44 | ||
| 2024 | 25 | 17 | 68 | ||
| Totals | 251 | 138 | 5 | 562 |
State of Origin Games
| Year | Team | Games | Tries | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 |  NSW Blues |
1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 3 | 1 | 4 | |
| 2018 | 3 | 2 | 8 | |
| 2019 | 3 | 2 | 8 | |
| 2020 | 3 | 2 | 8 | |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| Totals | 23 | 8 | 32 |
International Games
| Year | Team | Games | Tries | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 |  Italy |
6 | 1 | 4 |
| 2017 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 2018 |  Australia |
13 | 2 | 8 |
| 2019 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 2022 | 5 | 20 | ||
| 2023 | 1 | 4 | ||
| Totals | 19 | 12 | 48 |
Personal Life
James Tedesco studied to become a PE Teacher. He completed his degree at the Strathfield campus of Australian Catholic University in 2016.
