State of Origin veteran Luke Lewis is backing James Tedesco to restake his claim to the NSW Blues fullback jersey with a best-on-ground performance after receiving a late call-up to the side for State of Origin I on Wednesday night.
Lewis credits Tedesco for taking Michael Maguire’s initial call on the chin, even contacting Dylan Edwards to congratulate him, but says the veteran of 22 consecutive Origin games should slot straight back in after replacing the injured Edwards and perhaps be better for a couple of days of down time.
“I actually think it’s going to be amazing for Tedesco,” Lewis says on ABC Sport.
“Obviously … he would’ve been heartbroken, but … sometimes going home and chilling out with the family, not stressing too much, not thinking about the game [can be good].
“He goes in 72 hours before it, I reckon he’s gonna come out and give a man-of-the-match performance.
“I can just feel it from someone like Tedesco. He’ll come out [want to show] ‘this is what you would have missed out on’.
“I think he’s gonna have a cracker and it’s gonna be very hard for Dylan Edwards to get back into that side this year.
“That’s what I feel. I could be way off the money, but I’ve just got the feeling that Tedesco’s gonna come out and say ‘I own this joint’.”
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