Tedesco act exposes ‘comical’ NRL ‘farce’

Sydney Roosters fullback James Tedesco has again exposed an NRL loophole that has been described as both “comical” and a “farce” by Fox League commentator Andrew Voss.

With 15 minutes remaining and the Roosters leading the Cowboys 22-16 before running out 30-16 winners, Tedesco ran at the line with Lachlan Burr coming in for a tackle against the rapidly dropping Roosters fullback.

Watch The 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership Live & On-Demand with No Ad-Breaks During Play. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

There was no doubt that Burr hit the head with Tedesco immediately pointing it out to the referee.

It’s the third such shot Tedesco has been hit with in recent games, copping a concussion after the Dragons’ Jordan Pereira’s swinging arm on ANZAC Day before a front on shoulder charge from Marata Niukore against the Eels last week.

Both tackles had arguments that Tedesco was dropping as he got to the line.

Again, Burr caught Tedesco as he was on the fall with referee Ben Cummins sin binning the Cowboy for the shot.

Neither Tedesco or the referee were in the wrong, simply playing to the rules the NRL has allowed.

“There were some fairly strong mitigating circumstances too,” Greg Alexander said as Burr was given his marching orders.

“I’m feeling a little unfortunate for Lachlan Burr. He couldn’t have got out of the road. He was just coming in to make the tackle. You won’t be able to help those sorts of situations, it will just happen, collisions happen. And when players are down low, you can’t help but make contact with the head.”

Tedesco ran to the sideline, before turning around and running straight back on for the free interchange.

“My goodness, that is almost comical that,” Voss said amid a chorus of boos as Tedesco ran back on. “He goes off and now runs back on. That’s a farce that just happened then.”

Alexander added: “But it can happen. There are rules there that allow it happen.”

“If we’re about player welfare, what is the point of him sprinting over to the sideline just to sprint back on,” Voss said.

And it has happened before, with the Storm’s Cameron Munster raising eyebrows when he did it earlier in the season in an incident that saw Victor Radley sin binned.

It proved to be decisive as well with the Roosters kicking a penalty goal, before Daniel Tupou crossed to make it 30-16.

After the match, Michael Ennis said there were no issues with what the Roosters had done.

“It’s a mockery of the system,” Ennis said. “They aren’t doing anything wrong.

“But if we’re fair dinkum about highlighting concussion and taking it seriously then that’s not a great look. Running a player off who has been hit high, and we’re looking to take precautions and change cards and running back on, it’s just silly.

“They need to scrap it or come off for a certain period of time before they come back on. It’s a really strange one, the Roosters haven’t done anything wrong but it’s a loophole but it needs to be fixed because it’s not a good look.”

Tedesco said after the match that he wasn’t too sure but the medical staff told him it’s what he should do.

But it didn’t stop an incredible performance as Tedesco topped all players with 20 runs for 214m in the game, as well as a line break, three line break assists and a try assist.

The Roosters got off to a flyer early, leading 18-0 after 26 minutes before a Sitili Tupouniua sin bin that changed the match, as the Cowboys made it 18-10 at halftime.

The Cowboys narrowed it to 18-16 before the Roosters reclaimed the lead and ran away with the win.