Wests Tigers star James Tedesco sacrificed up to $700,000 to join the Sydney Roosters
DEAN RITCHIE, The Sunday Telegraph
April 23, 2017 6:00am
WESTS Tigers star James Tedesco sacrificed up to $700,000 to join the Sydney Roosters — because he “wants to be the best.”
The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the Roosters’ offer to Tedesco was actually third-best behind Wests Tigers and Canterbury.
Yet Roosters supremo Nick Politis and coach Trent Robinson still got their man.
A desire to play at the powerful Roosters and to “better himself” drove Tedesco — the incumbent NSW fullback — to a new four-year deal at Bondi.
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Tedesco’s decision had nothing to do with money. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
KENT: COFFEE DATE UNDERLINES TIGERS’ TROUBLES
Close friends to Tedesco claim the fullback has never been driven by money and his family are financially well-off through property development and investments in Sydney’s west.
“Wests Tigers could have offered him $2m a season and he wouldn’t have stayed,” said a close friend of Tedesco.
“James always wanted to go to the Roosters. The Roosters were the lowest offer. It had nothing to do with money — he wants to go there to better himself, to be a better footballer.
“He has this drive to be the best. He just wants to be the best.
“That’s why he is going there. It has nothing to do with money. People make it about money. James doesn’t live by pay cheques. It has to do with how the place is run and how he could better himself.
“When he reneged on Canberra (in 2014), he was told things would improve at Wests Tigers. He should have gone to Canberra.”
NRL TRIPLE SIGNING WINNERS AND LOSERS
The Sunday Telegraph can also reveal:
* Tedesco, Aaron Woods and Mitch Moses were almost certain to re-sign with Wests Tigers six weeks ago until the club sacked life coach Joe Wehbe, who has significant influence over a number of star players.
* Tedesco never signed with Canterbury.
“You have to ask why your captain and best player want to leave?” a friend close to the pair said.
“All of them were set to re-sign before the Wehbe drama blew-up. They were all set to sign. How could you stuff it up? All four would have stayed.
“All Wests Tigers had to do was keep Wehbe. They could have signed and gotten rid of him later. But once they got rid of him, that was it.
“That turned everything. ‘Woodsy’ is very tight with him.”
BLAME CLUB, NOT THE PLAYERS
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The club’s action distanced the players they were trying to keep. Photo: Mark Evans
Tedesco was most impressed with Bulldogs coach Des Hasler during negotiations but eventually shifted to the Roosters.
Another source said: “He never backflipped on Canterbury because he never signed there.”
Tedesco has agreed to terms with the Roosters.
There is no doubt Tedesco will flourish at Bondi playing alongside Mitch Pearce, Luke Keary, Michael Gordon, Latrell Mitchell and Blake Ferguson.
Roosters legend and club official Anthony Minichiello will also mentor Tedesco, the pair friends from playing with Italy.
There is continuing speculation that the Roosters may though have to offload Shaun Kenny-Dowall, possibly to Newcastle, to accommodate Tedesco.
