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Time for tears is over as Tedesco focuses on long road to recovery
April 5, 2012
TEARS staining his cheeks, James Tedesco did not want his parents to walk into the Leichhardt Oval change rooms because he knew they would be even more upset than him.
The rookie fullback's season had just ended after less than 30 minutes of his first NRL game. Like the Tigers' 2012 campaign, it had begun with so much promise and anticipation, but quickly fell apart.
A month has passed since that match against Cronulla and Tedesco, considered one of the hottest young prospects in the game, is looking on the bright side and towards next year. Yet that sauna of an afternoon in Sydney's inner west, in front of more than 19,000 spectators, will stay with the 19-year-old for a long time.
"It was a day of highs and lows," Tedesco told the Herald in his first interview since the injury. "The first 15 minutes I was feeling comfortable out there making my debut. I thought I was going well.
"I had a lot of family there watching me. I was very excited about it but it all came crashing down. I still enjoyed it and I've still got plenty of time for next year. How it ended was very disappointing but what can you do?"
How it ended was like this: Tedesco was told in the Tigers sheds beneath the "Latchem" Robinson stand that he had damaged the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. The ACL: the most dreaded acronym in rugby league. It is, for a footballer, like an investment banker hearing the term GFC.
Prior to that, everything about Tedesco's long-awaited debut had been right: the excitement about his first senior appearance had been building all day and a bumper crowd of 19,762 turned up to watch the Tigers at their spiritual home.
"When I stepped off my foot, I heard something pop in my knee and I knew straight away it was something serious," he said. "As I was getting stretchered off, I felt like it wasn't too bad, but when the doctor felt it and worked on it a bit, he said 'Yeah, ACL, it's the season'. I was pretty upset hearing that. When all the boys came in and asked what was it, and how long, it was pretty hard telling them all. I got a bit emotional."
His parents, John and Rosemary, were seated in the grandstand above but he had reservations about seeing them immediately because he knew they would be in tears, too.
"My mum and dad were probably more upset than I was. I'm just trying to stay positive and not think about it too much," he said. "Of course I was upset at the time, but I'm trying to move on and get ready for next year.
"I didn't really want to see them and talk to them because I knew they'd be just as upset as me. Mum has been pretty upset but always trying to look after me. She's been home the last two weeks after my surgery looking after me."
Home is the acreage in Menangle where Tedesco grew up and where his father built a custom-made football oval, including goal posts made of PVC piping.
Tedesco is yet to begin the long road back to fitness under the instruction of Wests Tigers rehabilitation manager Andrew Leeds and is using the time away from football to increase his subject load at the Australian Catholic University at Strathfield, where he is studying to be a physical education teacher.
As is the case with all clubs, Tedesco is not alone in having had a serious injury and says the past pain of others has proved helpful.
"As soon as I did it, that night and the day after all the boys were messaging me and telling me to keep my head up and stay strong," he said. "Robbie Farah, he's been talking to me a bit. He did his knee when he was young like me, too, along with Tim Moltzen. He did his knee a few years ago. They've both come back bigger and stronger."
Tedesco is itching to get back to Concord Oval. By then, he hopes, the Tigers will also be back on track.
April 5, 2012
TEARS staining his cheeks, James Tedesco did not want his parents to walk into the Leichhardt Oval change rooms because he knew they would be even more upset than him.
The rookie fullback's season had just ended after less than 30 minutes of his first NRL game. Like the Tigers' 2012 campaign, it had begun with so much promise and anticipation, but quickly fell apart.
A month has passed since that match against Cronulla and Tedesco, considered one of the hottest young prospects in the game, is looking on the bright side and towards next year. Yet that sauna of an afternoon in Sydney's inner west, in front of more than 19,000 spectators, will stay with the 19-year-old for a long time.
"It was a day of highs and lows," Tedesco told the Herald in his first interview since the injury. "The first 15 minutes I was feeling comfortable out there making my debut. I thought I was going well.
"I had a lot of family there watching me. I was very excited about it but it all came crashing down. I still enjoyed it and I've still got plenty of time for next year. How it ended was very disappointing but what can you do?"
How it ended was like this: Tedesco was told in the Tigers sheds beneath the "Latchem" Robinson stand that he had damaged the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. The ACL: the most dreaded acronym in rugby league. It is, for a footballer, like an investment banker hearing the term GFC.
Prior to that, everything about Tedesco's long-awaited debut had been right: the excitement about his first senior appearance had been building all day and a bumper crowd of 19,762 turned up to watch the Tigers at their spiritual home.
"When I stepped off my foot, I heard something pop in my knee and I knew straight away it was something serious," he said. "As I was getting stretchered off, I felt like it wasn't too bad, but when the doctor felt it and worked on it a bit, he said 'Yeah, ACL, it's the season'. I was pretty upset hearing that. When all the boys came in and asked what was it, and how long, it was pretty hard telling them all. I got a bit emotional."
His parents, John and Rosemary, were seated in the grandstand above but he had reservations about seeing them immediately because he knew they would be in tears, too.
"My mum and dad were probably more upset than I was. I'm just trying to stay positive and not think about it too much," he said. "Of course I was upset at the time, but I'm trying to move on and get ready for next year.
"I didn't really want to see them and talk to them because I knew they'd be just as upset as me. Mum has been pretty upset but always trying to look after me. She's been home the last two weeks after my surgery looking after me."
Home is the acreage in Menangle where Tedesco grew up and where his father built a custom-made football oval, including goal posts made of PVC piping.
Tedesco is yet to begin the long road back to fitness under the instruction of Wests Tigers rehabilitation manager Andrew Leeds and is using the time away from football to increase his subject load at the Australian Catholic University at Strathfield, where he is studying to be a physical education teacher.
As is the case with all clubs, Tedesco is not alone in having had a serious injury and says the past pain of others has proved helpful.
"As soon as I did it, that night and the day after all the boys were messaging me and telling me to keep my head up and stay strong," he said. "Robbie Farah, he's been talking to me a bit. He did his knee when he was young like me, too, along with Tim Moltzen. He did his knee a few years ago. They've both come back bigger and stronger."
Tedesco is itching to get back to Concord Oval. By then, he hopes, the Tigers will also be back on track.
