James Tedesco has come under plenty of scrutiny this year, but if you ask Cooper Cronk, the Roosters fullback has never been better.
The 32-year-old was electric again in Saturday night’s 31-24 win over the Dragons, producing a match-winning performance that included a try assist for Victor Radley, involvements in three other tries, and a near-200-metre running effort.
The showing only amplified the argument that Tedesco, not Dylan Edwards, should’ve been the Blues’ No.1 for this year’s State of Origin series.
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“This is his best year yet”
Speaking on Fox League, Cronk praised his former Roosters teammate’s all-round game, and suggested 2025 could be his finest campaign yet.
“His numbers this year are off the charts,” Cronk said. “He’s still that guy that has 180 metres average per game but six tries, 15 linebreaks, and the tackle busts are through the roof.”
“So, he’s not only doing the hard stuff that a fullback has to do. But when he gets to the red zone and there are scoring opportunities, he’s combining on the left edge, going through the middle and breaking tackles.”
“It’s hard to say this about a guy who has had a lot of good years, but you could mount a case that this is his best year yet.”
Tedesco’s 2025 numbers stack up: 11 try assists, 113 tackle breaks, and 15 line breaks.