In the cruellest blow, Tedesco’s NRL debut was cut short when he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee after returning a kick upfield . Up until then,Tedesco was impressive in his first game in the Telstra Premiership.
Sitting quietly inside the doctor’s room below the Leichhardt Oval grandstand with his parents John and Rosemary by his side, Tedesco was informed by respected Wests Tigers Doctor Donald Kuah that his season was over. It was a shattering blow for the youngster who rose from playing SG Ball for Western Suburbs to Wests Tigers NRL side within 12 months.
“I feel for him. ‘Teddy’ was having such a good game,’’ Lawrence said after playing his 100th game for Wests Tigers.
“He is a young bloke who probably hasn’t had to deal with injuries like this and being his first game, it is even more shattering.
“All the boys had a word to him in the sheds after the game to just let him know that we were there. We told him to just keep his head up and work really hard to get back next year.
“James is going to be a superstar of the game. He is going to be a part of this Wests Tigers team and playing in the NRL for many years to come.”
Wests Tigers Head Coach Tim Sheens says Tedesco could take encouragement from the fact that many of his team-mates had overcome major injuries.
“It is very disappointing for him. I think he showed why we earmarked him as our first grade full-back,’’ Sheens said.
“Robbie Farah had the same thing at the same age and came back strong. Timmy Moltzen had it (in 2010) and came back stronger. All James can do is, as you do with footballers, is to get on with it.
“Benji (Marshall) underwent surgery five times on his shoulder. You just have to learn to live with that and come back stronger. With the support we will give him, he will come through.”
Marshall said the team were devastated when they saw Tedesco at the half-time break.
“Just seeing his reaction in the shed, he was crying and it brought a tear to few of the boys’ eyes as we see him as such a great talent,’’ Marshall said.
“He has fit into this squad well and is a really good kid.”
4/03/2012 9:09:47 PM
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