Recalled back into the NSW Blues team for the injured Dylan Edwards, James Tedesco has spoken for the first time about his axing from the Blues and subsequent recall.
The ex-NSW Blues skipper joined Michael Maguire and the Blues on Sunday afternoon after scans confirmed that Edwards sustained a quad strain and was withdrawn from the 2024 State of Origin series opening match.
Tedesco's return to the Blues comes after Maguire dropped him in favour of the Panthers fullback after 22 consecutive Origin appearances, during which time he was a mainstay of the line-up.
“It was a bit crazy. But it's obviously a huge honour and privilege to be back in NSW camp,” Tedesco said via News Corp after his re-inclusion back into the NSW Blues team.
“I'm obviously disappointed for Dylan with how it's happened. But it's a good opportunity for me.”
Rushed back into the NSW Blues camp, he will just have two training sessions to prepare for the game on Monday and Tuesday.
Luckily for the Blues, the Sydney Roosters fullback has previously had the privilege to play with most of the players in the squad at either club or representative level.
“I've played with most of these guys or I've been in camps with pretty much all of them, it's not like I don't know any of them,” Tedesco added.
“I know how most of these guys play and I know on a personal level so that definitely helps coming into camp and knowing the guys.
"I've got a couple of training sessions with them together, so just building that connection. It's a different preparation than I've had before.”
Tedesco was quizzed on if he thought he would have the opportunity to wear the NSW Blues jersey again after being dropped, to which he replied, “Honestly, I accepted I wasn't going to be playing, and now I'm back playing."
"It's a bit of a rollercoaster but I'd always be ready to put on a NSW jersey and represent the best I can.
“There's been injuries all throughout the year so you never know what will happen, but I definitely accepted this week I wasn't going to be playing,
"I was going to be watching from home and cheering on the boys.
“I said leading up to this game I would always back whatever Madge chooses and I did that. And now I'm back playing, so it's funny how the world works.”
With Tedesco making his return in the NSW Blues jumper, Maguire spoke about having him enter the squad and how hard it was to see Dylan Edwards wait to make his Origin debut.
“Having someone like Teddy come in, he's experienced every part of Origin and he's been in all the [selection] discussions I've had up to now,” Maguire told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“His knowledge of pretty much all these players, he's obviously been around this playing group for so long, it's invaluable.
“Dylan and Teddy play a similar game, they're both super-fit and understand and excel at pretty much every part of the game.
“It's really gut-wrenching for Dylan. He's such a great bloke and the way that he's trained and been a part of the squad, that makes it so hard.
“It's shattering for a player when they've worked so hard like Dylan has and he's been one of the leading players in the comp for such a long time. But he's handled it the way you'd expect Dylan to handle it.
“And I've been comfortable with it all to be honest, because having Teddy there, both players are so passionate about playing for the Blues.
"So I'm very lucky and fortunate that I've got two players so committed and play a similar style, so we can move on and get stuck in.”