Roosters coach Trent Robinson is annoyed that his skipper James Tedesco doesn’t get the respect he deserves. 

The recent debate has been around whether the club should invest in him long term as their fullback or put their faith in a younger option like Joseph Suaalii or Joey Manu. 

Tedesco’s tenure at the Rabbitohs is secure after last week extending his deal to the end of 2025 while Suaalii appears set to take up a multimillion-dollar deal with Rugby Australia after next season. 

“I get the same question every single year. There’s always a better fullback or there’s always someone better according to people outside, but he keeps producing for the Roosters and he keeps producing for NSW and Australia,” Robinson fumed before the ink had dried on Tedesco’s contract extension.

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There is no doubt that Tedesco deserves to be NSW and Australian captain and retain the No.1 jersey in both representative squads but his status as the game’s best fullback is not as clear cut as it once was.

(Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images for RLWC)

Tom Trbojevic’s white-hot form for Manly in the opening rounds of the season is proof positive of that.

Trbojevic is arguably the better fullback in full flight but Tedesco is much more consistent and durable – the dual premiership-winner has had a superior career at club, Origin and international level even though his Manly counterpart has one more Dally M Medal after claiming the game’s top individual honour in 2021.

Four years younger, “Tommy Turbo” is well placed to succeed Tedesco at the Blues and Kangaroos down the track but the NRL is experiencing a glut of top-quality fullbacks with Dylan Edwards, Reece Walsh, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Latrell Mitchell all representative quality, not to mention Manu who rarely gets a chance in his preferred position at the Roosters but was the World Cup’s best player at the back for the Kiwis last year.

The good news for Blues coach Brad Fittler and Kangaroos mentor Mal Meninga is that Tedesco and Mitchell are also highly effective at centre in the rep arena and if all three are available, they’ll be automatic selections again this year.

Former Blues coach Phil Gould on his Six Tackles with Gus podcast, during the week claimed Trbojevic has overtaken Tedesco as the game’s best fullback and that NSW would regain the Origin shield if he’s on deck for all three matches.

Trbojevic has spearheaded Manly’s unbeaten start to the season against Canterbury and Parramatta with three tries, two try assists, 15 tackle breaks and three line breaks, while averaging 186.5 metres per game. 

He’s getting more involved in the action with 39.5 passing receipts per game leading into Saturday’s night individual showdown with Mitchell when Manly take on Souths at Accor Stadium.

Tom Trbojevic celebrates scoring a try with teammates during the round one win over Canterbury. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Fullbacks tend to average around 30 per game – Eels skipper Clint Gutherson was the highest last year at 38 and Trbojevic was at 32 in the seven matches he played before shoulder surgery ended his campaign very prematurely and just as abruptly.

Manly’s back three are averaging a combined 410.5 running metres per game, getting their sets started with strong momentum. 

Souths on the other hand are getting a collective 342m from Mitchell, Alex Johnston and Izaac Thompson. 

The Rabbitohs’ back three also rank last in the NRL for kick return metres at 127.9 per game

Mitchell’s form has been OK but not what the Rabbitohs need if they’re going to be legit title contenders. 

He’s a quality over quantity kind of player whose impact cannot always be told by statistics – last year he averaged only 26 touches per game to be at the low end of the scale for regular fullbacks and in his three appearances in 2023 he’s maintained that level of involvement. 

It’s easy to forget Trbojevic is weaving his magic after a 10-month layoff because of his shoulder injury and Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold while his attacking plays have caught all the attention, he’s been impressed with his defensive prowess.

“He’s shown some really good signs the first two games,” he said at his Friday captain’s run media conference. “He’s one of the elite players in our game. I agree with Phil (Gould), he’s an attacking weapon, he reads the game really well, he’s obviously really good out the back with shape, he takes short sides really well.

“So he’s got a lot of threat to him but one of the things that he’s very good at that people don’t see is just what he does defensively. Organising the defensive line for us is really important. He’s a complete player.”

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

A large part of the many hours he’s spent devising a game plan to conquer Souths has been how to deal with Mitchell. 

“What he’s added to the Rabbitohs after a really good start to his career winning a couple of premierships at the Roosters has been nothing short of outstanding,” he said. 

“How good of a challenge it is for our group to come up against someone like Latrell … how do we take away some of his threats. It’s easy to say, it’s harder to do.”

Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou followed Seibold’s example by not saying anything other than praise for his rival fullback at his presser on the eve of the high-stakes clash after his team’s 1-2 start to the year.

“It’s hard when you’re a head coach sometimes not to be a footy fan and get excited about the blokes you’re coaching against. Tom’s an outstanding player,” he said.