James Tedesco Says He May Have Played His Last Game for the Kangaroos After Reece Walsh Wins the No.1 Jersey
Kevin Walters picked Reece Walsh at fullback on Tuesday for Sunday night’s World Cup semi-final against Samoa at Allianz Stadium, with James Tedesco on the extended bench. Before the team was named, Tedesco had already admitted his Kangaroos career may be over, 7NEWS reported.
“Just be back up if something happens to Reece,” Tedesco said. “I got the opportunity to wear the jersey again, which I was super happy with. So, again, that might have been the last, not sure.”
Walsh made the decision hard
Kevin Walters picked Walsh for the opener against New Zealand and again for the 66-6 win over the Cook Islands in Townsville, where Walsh scored a try and set up five more. Tedesco started the game in between against Fiji and set up four tries.
“I’ll make a decision about the fullback in the next couple of days,” Walters said after the Cook Islands game. “James was equally as good last week.” Luke Keary, Tedesco’s former Roosters teammate, backed Walsh on Channel 7: “I think Walsh. His two performances have been outstanding.”
Walters went with the side that beat the Cook Islands. Tom Dearden keeps the No.7 jersey alongside Cameron Munster, Latrell Mitchell is on the extended bench, and Sam Walker is named only as a reserve, the Guardian and Fox Sports reported. “We know we are in for a tough contest on Sunday night,” Walters said.
He tried to keep Sam Walker at the Roosters
Tedesco also revealed he offered to help patch things up between Walker and the Roosters, after chairman Nick Politis pulled the club’s offer days after Walker’s Test debut.
“I don’t think I can (play peacekeeper) now, but I did offer that, I said if we need to make some calls, I can help out however you want,” he said. “That was our conversation, which I think is your responsibility as a captain and a teammate, not just to leave him out to dry. But obviously with Nick and Robbo (coach Robinson), that decision was made, so there’s not really much I can do about it.”
Trent Robinson has backed Politis, and Walker is looking for a new club from 2028. Tedesco said he sat down with him last week. “We had a good chat, just us two, about how he’s going, and it’s tough for him. He’s only young as well so it was a bit of a whirlwind week.”
Not finished yet
Tedesco is 33 and in the last year of his Roosters contract. He wants one more season after that. “Another year would be what I want to get to in 2028, and then that would probably be me,” he said. “There’s still some pretty good footy left in me.”
Australia went through the pool stage unbeaten. Our Kangaroos World Cup squad page has the full squad, and the World Cup table has the final pool standings.
