“He’s got more to his game than Tedesco”: Gould declares the NRL’s greatest attacker

Forget the rest, Phil Gould has made his mind up on the NRL's 'greatest attacking force', declaring Tom Trbojevic has 'more to his game than Tedesco' in the process.

Now three rounds into the 2023 NRL season, the game's premier talent is slowly starting to emerge from the pack, the difference between a solid game or two, and performing consistently at that elite level.

While Jacob Kiraz is a shock Dally M leader as it stands,Trbo? Gould is adamant that Trbojevic is the NRL's best fullback, and that the custodian has more weapons in his arsenal than James Tedesco and Cameron Munster.

"He's got more to his game than Tedesco [and] he's a different type of player to Munster," Gould said on the Six Tackles With Gus podcast.

"Munster is a great attacking force, obviously, but Tommy has a number of strings to his bow.

"His running game, his passing game, his physicality. He's a big man - people don't realise how big he is.

"His speed, his ability to make players miss, his sense of timing, his sense of where to turn up in games.

"Over a period of time you get to see patterns in his play and things that he looks for."

It's a welcome return for the former Dally M medallist, who produced just seven games last season after suffering a shoulder injury, before a hamstring issue in the pre-season sent the fullback to Philadelphia for treatment.

However, 'Turbo' has literally hit the ground running this season, scoring three tries in two games as Manly sit tall as one of three undefeated teams in the competition.

While Tedesco has long been declared as the NRL's best fullback, and in the debate for the world's best player after Cameron Smith retired, Gould doesn't believe the Roosters' fullback has everything Trbojevic does.

"But he's not the attacking force or the threat that Tommy is," he said.

Even Munster is a few tricks short.

"Munster has his kicking game, he has his passing game, and he's got his uncanny step and dummy, but he doesn't have all the strings to his bow that Tommy has," he added.

"Tommy doesn't do a lot of that either - they're different players, but if I'm coaching against another team, Tom Trbojevic  would be the one that strikes most fear into me he would keep me awake."

Regardless of whether the Sea Eagles' superstar has jumped Tedesco in the pecking order, there's no doubt NSW coach Brad Fittler will continue to select Teddy at fullback, and hand Trbojevic a license to roam despite starting at right centre.