Tedesco gets Slater tick

Legend lauds ‘fully rounded’ Dally M winner

RUGBY LEAGUE: Legendary custodian Billy Slater says James Tedesco has the Sydney Roosters to thank for his elevation to the status of the NRL’s best fullback.

Tedesco’s ascendancy to the title, which was vacated when Slater retired last season, was completed this week the Roosters’ No.1 was named the Dally M medal winner.

Ahead of last night’s grand final between the Raiders and the Roosters, Slater said he could see the growth in Tedesco’s game since the fullback’s arrival at Bondi from Wests Tigers two years ago.

“There’s so many different elements to a fullback’s game to make it fully rounded and you see where James Tedesco is right now,” Slater said.

“I truly believe that being at the Roosters and having the quality of player(s) around him – the likes of Luke Keary and Cooper Cronk and even guys like Boyd Cordner – that would help James’ game. It takes a long time to fully round your skills in that position.”

Slater said there were nuances to fullback play that weren’t always obvious to a casual observer but he could see them in Tedesco’s game.

“It’s an extremely technical position. You’ve got to be savvy in so many parts of the game to be able to set your defence well,” Slater said.

“You’ve got to be able to communicate that to your team with limited time available, so your vocab has got to be efficient, and then you’ve got to do well with what everyone sees.

“You’ve got to contribute with getting the ball out of trouble, you’ve got to link with your outside men, set up little plays in and around the ruck with your dummy half.”

Anthony Minichiello – who skippered the Roosters to the premiership in 2013, marshalling the steely defence from fullback – agreed Tedesco had taken his game to a new high.

“His game has gone to another level since last year, so he’s definitely a key for us,” Minichiello said.

“We’re seeing the complete game from him.”

He said Tedesco’s relationship with playmakers Keary and Cronk had continued to develop, which would give them an edge over the Raiders as the Roosters looked to claim back-to-back premierships.