James Tedesco had largely accepted his State of Origin story was over.
After being dropped during the 2024 series and overlooked again throughout 2025, the veteran fullback watched as Dylan Edwards emerged as NSW’s long-term option at the back.
The sky blue jersey that Tedesco once made his own suddenly looked like it belonged to somebody else.
But late on Sunday night, while waiting for Penrith’s clash to finish and Laurie Daley to lock in his side, the call came.
“I got it late last night, just waiting for that Penrith game to finish,” Tedesco told Zero Tackle on Monday afternoon at the NSW Media Day.
“I wasn’t sure if I was ever gonna get back to this, and be in this jersey again, so to be here is pretty cool.”
Just hours after being officially recalled for Game 1 of the 2026 State of Origin series, Tedesco reflected on the journey back into the NSW side after two years away from the Origin arena.
“I probably accepted last year, the last couple of years that Dyl was going to be the fullback. I never counted it out as an opportunity, or the chance to get back here, I knew if I just kept playing my best footy, then you never know,” Tedesco said.
“The past two years, I have been pretty happy with how I have been playing, to be honest. I haven’t been playing representative footy, but personally, at the Roosters, I have been happy, and I guess just holding that consistency gave me a chance to get back into the team this year.
“I am proud of myself to get back into this team, to this arena. I think any player who plays the game you want to play this game. It is the highest honour and is the toughest game you can play.”
One of the key matchups in the opening game will see Tedesco come up against his Sydney Roosters teammate Sam Walker, after the young halfback earned selection for Queensland.
Tedesco praised Walker’s development under Daly Cherry-Evans this season and believes the Origin arena will provide another major test for the playmaker.
“Learning off Daly (Cherry Evans) this year has been great for him (Sam Walker), and I think he has been a really, really good player for us this year, and it’s gonna be a good test for him,” Tedesco said on Walker’s selection at QLD halfback.
“I am proud of him for representing Queensland.”
Despite the close relationship between the pair at club level, Tedesco will go into the arena with Walker as an enemy and use all of his knowledge of his game to his advantage.
“I know him inside and out. I know what he likes to do and what he sees,” Tedesco grinned.
“But it’s about defending it and diffusing it that is the tough part.”
Although Daley explained his decision to recall Tedesco was heavily linked to how he wants NSW to attack throughout the series, the fullback said the spine had yet to fully discuss their approach.
According to Tedesco, the group planned to sit down together on Monday afternoon to begin building their combinations and work out how they want to challenge Queensland.
The Blues spine will feature Tedesco alongside Nathan Cleary, Mitch Moses and Roosters teammate Reece Robson, with the experienced fullback excited by the combinations developing within the side.
“I haven’t yet played with Mitch and Nath together; I have only played with them separately, so it is something I am excited about,” he said.
“They are both two great halves, great leaders, organise really well, so I am excited to get those combinations going together, and I am really close with them personally as well off the field, so I am looking forward to it.”
Tedesco also believes his growing combination with Robson could become a major strength for NSW through the middle of the field.
“Very excited,” Tedesco said to Zero Tackle about replicating his combinations with Robson at clubland in the Origin arena.
“We have built our combination and our connection over the past 10 games.
“His ability to roll a ruck, and us two around the middle is something we are gonna keep working on in this arena.
“It will be interesting to see how the game will be refereed, and how the flow of the game goes, but definitely a strength of ours is rolling through the middle together.”
Tedesco also backed Roosters teammate Victor Radley to thrive after earning an Origin debut.
“I am pumped for him. I think he is made for Origin footy,” Tedesco shared of Victor Radley making the squad.
“I think he was a bit surprised, to be honest, but he deserves it. The way he plays the game, it’s gonna be a big value to this team, so can’t wait to see him out there.”
“We have won every game with him. He is a leader, he has matured as a leader, and he knows his footy really well.”
Despite celebrating his own recall, Tedesco admitted he understood exactly what Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards would be feeling after missing selection.
“Yeah, it’s tough. I have gone through that the last couple of years with NSW and Australia,” Tedesco said of Edwards missing out on selection over him.
“I feel like he has been playing some really good footy, and it could’ve gone either way.
“It’s a proud moment for me, but I do feel for Dyl.”
For Tedesco, Game 1 is more than just a recall. It is the chance to prove his Origin story still has another chapter left.
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