Channel Nine commentator Phil Gould says Kangaroos fullback and skipper James Tedesco should make way for one of his in-form rivals for the end-of-year Tests.
League officials are yet to announce the international schedule, although Australia are expected to be involved in a tri-series with New Zealand and Samoa.
Tedesco has been one of the first players picked for Australia since making his debut in 2018. Regarded by many as the best player of the past five years, the Roosters star was elevated to Kangaroos captaincy in 2022.
However, the 30-year-old’s form has been down this season, to the point where some questioned whether he should have been dropped as NSW custodian during the recent State of Origin series.
The hot form of Reece Walsh, Dylan Edwards and Scott Drinkwater – coupled with the potential availability of Ryan Papenhuyzen and Tom Trbojevic after long injury layoffs – has put further pressure on Tedesco to retain his Test jersey.
That will ramp up further after Gould, also the Bulldogs’ general manager of football, said Tedesco should be overlooked by Australia coach Mal Meninga.
James Tedesco was under pressure to keep his Origin jumper, and now Phil Gould says he should be overlooked for the end-of-season Tests.Credit: NRL Photos
“I don’t know about [dropping Tedesco being] a bombshell,” Gould said on his Six Tackles With Gus podcast. “I don’t think Roosters are going to play finals football.
“I think the Test side will probably be made up of those who last longest getting into the finals and grand finals.
“I think that fellas like Dylan Edwards and Reece Walsh will come in to play there as potential [fullbacks]. Maybe a Kalyn Ponga if Newcastle go deep into the finals series.
“Trbojevic might be back by then. He thinks that he’ll be back by the second or third week of the semi-finals if Manly were to get through. Unlikely, but that’s one consideration.”
Asked if Drinkwater had claims on the jersey, Gould said: “Yeah, well, it depends how far the Cowboys go, doesn’t it?
“I think that the Australian team at the end of the year would be looking for players that were deep into the finals and playing regularly rather than having a six- or eight-week break before they go into representative football.
“And I think James Tedesco, and the Roosters – I think James will be looking forward to a break this off-season.
“I’m not saying he’s not a great player, but he was under pressure to hold his spot for the NSW side this year. And I can just see that if things go the way it’s going at the moment, we’re likely to see a Panther-Bronco grand final.
“You know, Papenhuyzen could come back in that time for the Melbourne Storm.
James Tedesco skippered Australia to a World Cup win at the end of last year.Credit: AP
“I think that selectors would be wise to go with players that have gone deep into the finals and probably the premiership winner and grand finalist will make up the bulk of the side.
“And I think that brings the new blood; your Dylan Edwards and your Reece Walsh come into play.”
Gould has also been critical of Latrell Mitchell, believing the South Sydney superstar hasn’t stood up in big club moments as a fullback. Asked if the Rabbitohs would be better served shifting him into the centres, Gould said: “Yes. But, you know? That’s just me. He’s a dynamic centre.
Latrell Mitchell may be more value to the Rabbitohs in the centres, says Phil Gould.Credit: Getty
“He’s a dynamic fullback when he puts his mind to it, when the game goes his way.
“He’s got to force himself on the play a little bit more than he does if they want to beat the top sides.
“That’s nothing no one doesn’t know. When he does things, it’s so brilliant, we want to see more of it. That’s where it is. So we’re anticipating or thinking that he can do more of it.”
Gould said Mitchell needed to be more heavily involved against quality opposition.
“What he does, he beats the poorer sides by a lot,” he said. “They beat the poorer sides by big scores, with Latrell timing his run and imposing himself into his fit. And he plays that position comfortably because he plays it in his own way, but he doesn’t run the ball back.
“He gets his wingers to run the ball back for him if he can. That’s why sides now work out the better side [to kick to]. They’ve gotta kick early, they gotta make him run the ball more, which wears him out, which doesn’t allow him to get involved in the game in other parts of the game.
“Dynamic centre. He won premierships at the Roosters. They picked him to play centre in Origin.”
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