LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
Calls are increasing for James Tedesco to reclaim his Kangaroos spot from Dylan Edwards on the end-of-season Ashes tour. Edwards' recent uncharacteristic mistakes during the Panthers' loss have added weight to this discussion.
Tedesco, who has played 13 Tests for Australia and served as captain, lost his spot to Edwards last year after the latter emerged as one of the top fullbacks in the game. Since that transition, Tedesco has been in superb form for the Roosters, notably leading them to a 64-12 victory against the Dolphins last week.
While Edwards has been exceptional in recent weeks, he made some crucial errors during Thursday's match. Despite recording two try-assists and running an impressive 288 meters with 32 carries against the Storm, he faltered in the crucial moments. His late handling errors gave the Storm advantageous field position, directly leading to a try and allowing Harry Grant to score the game-winning try in golden point.
Additionally, Edwards misjudged a moment when he rushed off his line, incorrectly anticipating a pass to Cameron Munster instead of staying in position, resulting in an easy try for Grant. Though his teammates Moses Leota and Scott Sorensen were also at fault, his decision-making was scrutinized, especially after he reacted dramatically to Grant's clever play.
Despite Edwards' overall strong performance throughout most of the match, the late-game mistakes have reignited discussions about Tedesco's potential return to the Kangaroos. New Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters stated he hasn't yet made a decision regarding player selections, hinting that the competition for spots remains open as the season progresses.