Sydney Roosters captain James Tedesco has delivered a glowing endorsement of the young prospect who has been earmarked to take over the fullback role once he decides to hang up the boots.
As Tedesco enters the latter stages of his playing career, the Roosters’ attention has turned to who will replace the 23-time NSW Blues and 13-time Kangaroos representative.
Although the 32-year-old still has a few more years left, as illustrated by a stellar 2025 campaign which saw him become a two-time Dally M Medallist, the Roosters have already designated Rex Bassingthwaighte as his future successor.
Locked in until the end of 2028, where he will join the club’s Top 30 roster in 2027, the SHORE School graduate is highly regarded among officials as one of the best young talents in both rugby league and rugby union.
While he missed most of this year due to a shoulder injury, his past 24 months included him winning the club’s Harold Matthews Cup Player of the Year award, representing the Under-18s Australian Wallabies side alongside Heamasi Makasini and leading his school to their first 1st XV AAGPS premiership since 2006.
Set to train with the first-grade for the second time during the upcoming 2026 pre-season, Tedesco backed him as the Tricolours’ future fullback and admitted that he is going to be a “real talent” one day in the NRL.
“He trained with us in the pre-season last year. Love him. We got along really well (and he’s) a really exciting young player,” Tedesco told Zero Tackle.
“(Rex’s) fast, agile, got good hands, and I think he’s going to be a real talent.
“He had shoulder surgery this year, which pulled him out for most of the year. He wasn’t able to play union for his school, but he’ll be doing a pre-season with us next year.
“He can fit in anywhere in the backs to sort of start off his career, but fullback definitely for the future.”
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