Trbojevic, Tedesco create tough decisions for Mal
MAL Meninga has a selection nightmare on his hands after Tom Trbojevic and James Tedesco put forward stunning cases for a World Cup berth in the Prime Minister’s XIII victory over PNG.
The duo scored a hat-trick each as the Australian side raced away to a 48-8 victory in Port Moresby last night.
In his representative debut, 20-year-old Trbojevic showed coach Meninga not only his try-scoring prowess but also his versatility as he played centre, wing and fullback before getting a well-earned break in the final quarter.
Tedesco made an equally strong statement as he combined with Corey Norman for two of his tries and also played across several positions.
Meninga said earlier this week that those who displayed the ability to play across the park would be at the top of the list for a spot in his 24-man World Cup squad.
Both Trbojevic and Tedesco were two who put their hand up last night in front of a 13,468-strong crowd.
With Darius Boyd and Billy Slater among those who are almost certain to win a spot in the squad, Meninga admitted that he has a tough road ahead to pick just 24 players.
“That’s our dilemma as selectors. We have to come up with the right balance,” he said.
“Teddy, I thought he handled centre and wing really well. We all know he’s best at fullback but that’s the nature of the beast with rep footy at the national level.”
While Trbojevic and Tedesco’s World Cup fortunes are looking up, the hopes of utility Dylan Walker are in tatters after he dislocated an ankle in the 50th minute and was carried off on a stretcher.