NRL Round 23 Review: Tedesco's Variety, Kick Tries, Burton's Boot & Taumalolo's Passing

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What's to come this week:

• ‘If you're gonna watch how to play fullback, you're watching Ted play.’

• Quick Play-the-Balls

  • This Is Only Worth Three Points?!?

  • Freakish Burton

• Setting Up For A Shot: Keeping An Eye On Lomax

• Try Time: Taumalolo’s Pass For The Kick

Big Takeaway From the Week: ‘If you're gonna watch how to play fullback, you're watching Ted play.’

Tackle one can make or break a set of six. First up here, we’re breaking down what makes for the biggest talking point of the week.

The Sydney Roosters thrashed the Dolphins on Saturday evening for James Tedesco to finish with:

• 2 tries

• 1 linebreak

• 4 linebreak assists

• 3 try assists,

• 7 tackle breaks

• 3 offloads

• 158 running metres

Tedesco’s performance led to glowing praise from Trent Robinson in the post-match press conference, and further highlighted his status as one of the best fullbacks in the game.

Despite the path State of Origin selectors have gone down in recent series, Tedesco is still the premier attacking fullback in the NRL. Availability is the best ability, and he has the skills to impact the game in a variety of ways while on the field.

Tedesco is relentless in how often he is moving. He’s constantly pushing up around the ball but still manages to make his mark on the edges.

His 4th-tackle carries are crucial in how the Roosters work their way up the field. Even when taking the tough carry on this occasion, Tedesco is able to follow up his offload with a kick chase through the middle.

Further down the field, Tedesco plays both sides to create the “three-on-twos” Robinson mentioned as the staple of fullback play these days. He’s not always been the best ball-player, but has made significant improvement in that area in recent years.

He’s not credited with the try assist here, but his sweeping run is the key. He holds the ball out in front to be a pass and run threat, engages the two-man, and makes the job simple for his centre and winger.

His starting point around the ruck, as Robinson also mentioned, makes it difficult for the opposing fullback to set numbers and use him as an indicator.

What sets Tedesco apart from so many other fullbacks in the NRL is his sense of anticipation. He’s always putting himself in good positions to make the most of opportunities others might miss.

Angus Crichton is a particular trigger for some of the best Tedesco actions. The momentum Crighton generates in his carries presents his fullback with cues to capitalise on.

Whether it be floating back to the long side or ducking down a short side, Tedesco spots the opportunity and puts himself in a position to make a play. This one doesn’t come off, but it’s a dangerous shot that trains the defence for later in the match.

Presented with another short side later in the game, the defence reacts differently. The first marker pounces on the dummy half, and with that, Tedesco jumps in behind the ruck to take the space.

Again, it’s not a play that will end up on the match highlights, but they all count. Tedesco is a constant threat that eventually leads to points.

His first try is a great team effort, and one Robinson and the coaching staff no doubt spoke about during the week.

The Roosters get the ball to the middle and generate a 5-5 split. They fire a shot down the right side, which scrambles the defence. Notably, it brings Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to the short side on the sideline. Pushing up through the middle and ready to play on the back of his halfback, Tedesco beats Tabuai-Fidow to the bouncing ball under the posts.

His second captures so much about what makes Tedesco great and what Robinson is referencing in his quotes post-game.

This time it’s Billy Smith with the momentum carry, but Tedesco’s ability to process the play remains the same. There’s that third man again that he capitalised on down the short side in the first half. This time, however, he adjusts to what the Dolphins give him.

The late retreater filled up the short side in the first two clips. This time, the short side is set early with the third man desperately trying to fill up at A on the long side before the play-the-ball.

Tedesco beats him.

He’s champing at the bit to receive the ball from dummy half. So much so that he almost gets in front of the pass.

Having beaten the man back, Tedesco bounces out across the B defender to engage C. The speed has left big spaces in the Dolphins line for Tedesco to find his man with a tip-pass. Always moving, Tedesco pushes through two players to provide support and finish it off himself.

As the Roosters get healthy and play themselves into finals contention, Tedesco stands out further as an elite player. He’s fallen down the pecking order among the general NRL public, but Round 23 is further proof that he can still dominate a game on his own.

It won’t be a surprise to see him do it again in September if the Roosters find enough wins to land in the Top 8.

Quick Play-the-Balls

We’re generating momentum through the middle of the article with a couple of quick carries.

This Is Only Worth Three Points?!?

Just a week after breaking down the details of how the Melbourne Storm set up Xavier Coates to jump over Zac Lomax, rugby league media did its thing…

As a firm believer in linking to everything and sharing the love, there was nothing to love about the article suggesting kick tries should only be worth three points, among other mind-numbing ideas.

This try…

…where Cameron Munster puts it on a dime, Coates jumps over another player and has the composure to keep the ball-carrying arm off the ground to reach out and score.

Not everything needs fixing.

Freakish Burton

Sometimes there is just nothing you can do as a fullback…

It’s 3rd tackle, in the rain, while catching the ball inside his own 20-metre line.

I don’t recall ever seeing a kick like that in my life.

Setting Up For A Shot: Keeping An Eye On Lomax

Teams play to points with the following tackle in mind. Here, I’m touching on something to watch next week as we try to keep ahead of things happening on the field.

Zac Lomaz is one of the most versatile players in the NRL today. He’s managing to fill the role of wing, centre and fullback all in the same game for the Parramatta Eels at the moment.

He pops up all over the field and is learning how to insert himself better each week. But while there is a danger for the opposition when Lomax swings to the other side, his enthusiasm to be around the ball comes at a cost.

He works hard to get to the middle of the field to chase Mitchell Moses’ mid-field bomb here.

However, with the kick too long and Lomax not able to affect a tackle, the North Queensland Cowboys are presented with an opportunity.

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