'New blood' tipped as Gus drops axe on Tedesco

9 months ago 84

If Phil Gould was selecting the Kangaroos broadside for the end-of-year Tests, skipper and champion fullback James Tedesco would beryllium axed.

The rugby league guru made the bonzer telephone connected this week's occurrence of Wide World of Sports' Six Tackles with Gus that it was clip for Tedesco to marque mode for either Panthers weapon Dylan Edwards oregon Broncos ace Reece Walsh.

The Roosters volition astir surely not diagnostic successful finals footy this year, meaning if Tedesco does play Test shot astatine the extremity of the twelvemonth it volition beryllium connected the backmost of a lengthy play without clip connected the paddock.

Gould pointed that out, arsenic good arsenic Tedesco's dip successful signifier and the emergence of "new blood".

"I don't deliberation Roosters are going to play finals football. I deliberation the Test broadside volition astir apt beryllium made up of those who past longest, getting into the finals and expansive finals," Gould said.

"I deliberation fellas similar Dylan Edwards and Reece Walsh volition travel into play there.

"Maybe Kalyn Ponga if Newcastle spell heavy into the finals series.

"(Tom) Trbojevic mightiness beryllium backmost by then. He thinks that he'll beryllium backmost by the 2nd oregon 3rd week of the finals if Manly were to get through. Unlikely, but it's a consideration."

Kangaroos skipper and fullback James Tedesco. (George Wood/Getty Images)

Six Tackles with Gus big Mat Thompson tossed up Cowboys limb Scott Drinkwater, which Gould didn't caput the thought of.

"It depends however acold the Cowboys go, doesn't it?" helium said, earlier continuing to explicate his thinking.

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"I deliberation that the Australian squad astatine the extremity of the twelvemonth volition beryllium looking for players who went heavy into the finals and were playing regularly, alternatively than having a six-week oregon eight-week interruption and past going into typical football.

"I deliberation James volition beryllium looking guardant to a interruption this off-season."

Billy Slater was the Australian fullback for the champion portion of a decade, successful which clip helium played successful 2 World Cup rubric triumphs.

The Storm fable passed down the No.1 jumper to Tedesco and the Roosters seasoned was appointed skipper up of past year's World Cup, replacing erstwhile Tricolours teammate Boyd Cordner.

He skippered the Kangaroos to World Cup glory astatine Old Trafford past year, but a batch has changed successful the 8 months since.

"I'm not saying he's not a large player, but helium was nether unit to clasp his spot successful the New South Wales broadside this year," Gould added.

"And if things spell the mode they're going astatine the infinitesimal we're apt to spot a Panther-Bronco expansive final.

The Kangaroos observe winning the 2022 World Cup. (Jan Kruger/Getty Images for RLWC)

"Now, Ryan Papenhuyzen could travel backmost successful that clip for the Melbourne Storm.

"I deliberation that the selectors would beryllium omniscient to spell with players who've gone heavy into the finals. Probably the premiership-winners and expansive final-winners volition marque up the bulk of the side.

"And I deliberation that brings the caller blood, your Dylan Edwards and your Reece Walsh, into play.

"There mightiness beryllium a changing of the defender there, I think."

The International Rugby League (IRL) is yet to reveal however the end-of-year Test docket volition look, but past week it made large announcements connected the backmost of a committee gathering successful Singapore.

Among the announcements was a postponed men's World Cup would beryllium staged successful the confederate hemisphere successful 2026 aft France withdrew arsenic big of the scheduled 2025 tournament.

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