Raising the bar the next challenge for Tedesco

An Origin series win, a Telstra Premiership and maiden Kangaroos Test jersey – where to next for James Tedesco?

That's the next challenge for the Sydney Roosters fullback to explore in his game after a year of success.
Some players take years to achieve both team and individual goals. Most never get there at all.

For Tedesco, he achieved nearly everything in the space of nine months.

"I soaked it all up and enjoyed the year and off-season," Tedesco said.

"It's been a long year for myself, it's all part of it. That's the thing for me, I always want to improve and get better. The only way you can do that is by practicing and putting time on the field. I think the boys will have a similar mindset.

"I think everything in my game is good, it's just little things about improving and being consistent with passing and kicking. I think defence is my big improvement.

"Coming in I was trying to find my feet early whereas now having that year I come in with a lot of confidence, those combinations are already there and it won't take long to gel and get back into it."

While the talk leading into the 2019 NRL season will be around the Roosters' quest for back-to-back titles, any mention of a premiership defence from Trent Robinson is likely to be thrown out the window.

Tedesco though, doesn't see a reason why the Tricolours can't build on their success and create history.

If we can make it two in a row that'll definitely set our dominance on its way

James Tedesco on the Blues' hopes for 2019

The Roosters have lost Blake Ferguson, Dylan Napa and Ryan Matterson from their premiership-winning side but welcome NSW representative Angus Crichton, former Australia international Brett Morris and England's Ryan Hall.

"It's very different for me coming off winning a premiership," Tedesco said.

"We're coming off a high from the year, it's about knuckling down but not about flushing it all thinking we've got to do it all again.

"Coming into the new year after winning a premiership teams will be coming after us so we'll have to improve our game a bit but it's not about putting pressure on ourselves.

"Everyone's keen to do it all again, for us there's no reason not to. We've got a very similar squad and everyone is enjoying themselves."

Tedesco echoed those thoughts towards NSW's quest for consecutive Origin series wins for the first time in 13 years.

All members from the victorious Blues squad win assembled one last time before season's end at NSW headquarters last week, along with 2017 players like Mitchell Pearce, Jack Bird, Wade Graham and Josh Jackson, to begin preparations for next year's series defence.

"It's a lot better vibe [this year], you look around the room and everyone's a talented player," Tedesco said.

"We ended the era of Queensland's dominance so hopefully we can start our own. It's good to get it done this year but if we don't do it again it doesn't really lead up to much.

"If we can make it two in a row that'll definitely set our dominance on its way."