The real reason the Roosters brought DCE to Bondi

October 2, 2026 — 1:30pm

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Last year, Sydney Roosters powerbrokers started to worry about their champion captain James Tedesco.

Not about his form, his age or whether the end was nigh. They were concerned he might finish his career with “just” two NRL premierships, and whether that was enough for a man who had done everything in rugby league and so much for the Tricolours.

Tedesco and Cooper Cronk arrived from Wests Tigers and Melbourne respectively, and helped the Roosters to premiership glory in 2018 and 2019.

Cronk will never have to buy a chai latte in the eastern suburbs again. When Tedesco eventually retires, which may not be at the end of next season, he will go down as an even more significant figure for the club.

Tedesco will bring up a decade at the Roosters next year. He became captain, won the Dally M Medal twice, led NSW to an Origin series win and Australia to a World Cup victory, and has been one of the constants for the Tricolours in recent years when millions of dollars worth of talent and experience have retired, switched clubs or........

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