Roosters skipper James Tedesco says there’s nonetheless a perception on the membership that they will make the highest eight, whereas he additionally defended his latest journey to Byron Bay that he thinks solely grew to become a narrative as soon as the media bought concerned.
Tedesco earnt a uncommon week off when coach Trent Robinson informed him to get away from rugby league following the third State of Origin recreation wherein the Blues skipper had his finest recreation of the sequence.
The Roosters veteran missed the loss to the Storm, with Golden Boot winner Joseph Manu filling in at fullback, and got here again the next week wanting just like the Tedesco of outdated in an enormous win over the Titans.
The resolution to overlook the Storm recreation was criticised by some given the Roosters didn’t win, however Tedesco is adamant that it was the correct name.
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“When you’re not going too well and the team’s not going well, then people kick you while you’re down,” mentioned Tedesco, who had a busy 2022 marketing campaign with the Roosters, Blues and the Kangaroos on the World Cup in England.
“It was a team decision by Robbo and there were no problems with it until someone wrote about it and it became a media storm.
“It didn’t affect me too much. I just wanted to go out and play some good footy, and I felt like I did that.
“I always want to play. It was never a case of me wanting a break or that sort of stuff. Last year after Origin we were sort of fighting for the eight as well and I kept playing, and I was happy to do that again.
“I would never say ‘I need a break and I don’t want to play’. I want to play and do my best for the club, but Robbo planned it weeks before.
“I’ve got all the trust in Robbo and he told me to get away and not think about footy for a bit, so that was what it was.
“There was nothing wrong with that until someone wrote about it.”
Tedesco was terrific within the win over the Titans, however the perception they bought from that consequence was rapidly burst by the Broncos who belted them final week.
“I thought we could get on a bit of a roll and play some good footy, but the Broncos just outplayed us which was disappointing,” he mentioned.
“There is still a lot of belief and faith (that we can make the top eight). We have to win every game – that’s plain and simple – so we just have to go out and execute now which we haven’t done consistently enough this year.”
The Roosters sit within the backside 4 and should win their ultimate 5 video games to complete on 32 competitors factors, which could not be sufficient for them to sneak into the highest eight.
It’s a shock situation given they have been one of many favourites in the beginning of the 12 months, however Tedesco mentioned it was on him to maintain the remainder of the group upbeat heading into Thursday’s recreation towards Manly.
“There’s probably a bit less of a weight on my shoulders,” he mentioned after copping it throughout the Origin sequence.
“I know there’s a lot of external noise, and there’s been pressure on the club all year because we haven’t been performing, but if I carry that into the games, then the rest of the team feels it, especially with me being captain.
“At the Roosters, we’re expected to be at the top winning premierships. When you’re not up there, there is that bit of pressure on why you’re not performing.
“For me, it’s about making everyone else not feel like that and letting it filter throughout the team because if everyone else feels like that, then we’re going to be even worse.
“That’s been clear for me over the past couple of weeks to instil belief and making sure that we’re all sure on what we need to go out and do and to back ourselves.
“Throughout the whole year, when things haven’t gone our way, we’ve all dropped our heads and that’s resulted in bad losses.
“We’ve just got to go out and win because we’ve got no second chances and nothing to lose.”
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
