Tedesco raid adds to Tigers’ wounds
IT HAS not been a good few days for Tigers fans.
First they saw their hoodoo against the Broncos at Campbelltown Stadium continue on Saturday night. The joint venture has never beaten the Brisbane outfit in six attempts at its western Sydney headquarters.
And yesterday those same fans had to deal with news their promising fullback, James Tedesco, had signed a three-year deal with the Raiders starting next season.
Tedesco, 21, took the NRL by storm with a series of eye-catching displays across the opening rounds of 2014, before succumbing to an ankle injury.
His signing for Canberra will plug the big gap that will be left by the departure of Anthony Milford to Brisbane at the end of the season.
“James is an outstanding young talent who we see as a big signing for the Raiders,” Raiders chief executive Don Furner said.
The Raiders are also believed to be chasing hardrunning Storm forward Kevin Proctor, Bulldogs skipper Michael Ennis and Panthers winger Josh Mansour for next year.
Meanwhile, Cowboys enforcer Tariq Sims will cool his heels on the sidelines for the next two rounds after making an early guilty plea to a dangerous throw charge arising from his team’s loss to the Raiders on Sunday.
The back-rower’s suspension was a consequence of his lifting tackle on Raiders lock Shaun Fensom in the 36th minute of the clash in the nation’s capital.
Broncos back-rower Todd Lowrie is free to play against the Sea Eagles at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, after entering an early guilty plea on his high-tackle charge. That came after a clumsy hit on Tigers back-rower Bodene Thompson during Brisbane’s 16-14 win at Campbelltown.
The Warriors have named halfback Shaun Johnson in their team to take on the luckless Knights at Mt Smart Stadium on Sunday despite a groin injury suffered in round 10.
Several teams have named their Origin stars for this weekend’s round, including the Melbourne Storm, which has included Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk in the squad to take on the Cowboys in Townsville on Saturday night.