... growing up, sorry?

He's, he's...

He probably changed the game a lot as a fullback, but he's als- he's, he's...

There's no denying that he's the best play- best fullback, uh, to play the game.

And, um, yeah, I see people comparing and I, I sort of laugh to myself because I would never think I'd be in the same category as someone like Billy Slater and what he achieved in the game.

Um, but it, it, it is cool.

I mean, everyone's gonna...

Yep

What was your mindset two years ago that has helped you now?

Yeah, I don't know if my mindset's changed a lot.

I think I always have a bit of a chip in my shoulder, I guess, of people saying, probably since when I was a kid, that I couldn't do it or I'm not going to play NRL.

So I'm used to people probably telling me that I'm not going to do something.

And I think I've had that throughout my career, probably in those last couple of years where I'm getting older and I'm probably not at my best anymore.

I'm not going to...

Yeah, playing for New South Wales or Australia.

Were you part of said secret Roosters meeting?

What does that mean to you? Yeah,

it's...

Really special, I think.

Look around training and there's all photos of premiership winning captains on the walls.

And it was always a goal of mine to sort of be a part of that.

So I'm just proud to captain this club and captain them to a premiership.

It means the world.

The stage is set, as Dave Sugesto speaks.

What does that mean to you?

Yeah, it's really special.

I think, um, look around training and there's all photos of, uh, premiership winning captains on the walls, and, um, it was always a goal of mine to sort of be a part of that.

So, uh, I'm just proud of, proud to captain this club and to captain them to a premiership.

It means, means the world.

The stage is set as James Tedesco speaks.

Um, wanna thank the NRL, wanna thank all the sponsors.

Um, wanna thank our sponsors, BYD, all the Roosters sponsors.

And finally, James Tedesco.

First, I want to thank NRL and the sponsors.

I want to thank our sponsors, BYD, and all the Roosters sponsors.

I want to congratulate NRLW team for their win today.

To Knights, Justo and Kalen, what are you boys? Should be very proud.

Thank you for what a game it was tonight.

To our boys, all our supporters that came out, supported us all year, thank you.

I just told Teddy he ran for about 400 metres, but, Teddy, what about that performance? And I guess the last thing to tick off your mantle piece, you're wearing it around your neck right now as a Clive Churchill medalist.

What do you think of his performance last week, four weeks after surgery on the ankle?

Yeah, I think we were all pretty blown away how quickly he came back from that injury.

It didn't look like he had any setbacks or injuries at all the way he played.

So it's a credit to him the way he went about his rehab and his recovery.

He was awesome to get back and play the game.

He did obviously come off the last 10 minutes there a bit sore.

But yeah, the way he performed was awesome for us.

They can score tries, but going back to your defence... geez they've saved a lot too.

who am I going to go for? Convince me, why should I go for the Roosters?

Well, look at the area, first of all.

The players are a great team, coach, the whole club.

It's great energy around the club at the moment.

A lot of confidence and belief that we can go all the way and it's an exciting few weeks.

when you're preparing for something like that, I know you play them throughout the year, but does it feel different in the finals? I

don't think so.

I think, you know, obviously the occasion, the repercussions are bigger and you've got to do everything you can to win the game, but We beat them recently, about a month ago, so we'll take a lot of confidence out of that.

How's it all coming along?

Yeah, no, it's been good.

I think the ankle injury's probably hung around for longer than I thought, which has been a bit frustrating.

It's probably the longest injury I've had for a long time now, so not being able to play was annoying.

But I think overall the squad's healthy.

We've got two back on the weekend, which is a big boost for us.

Gussie potentially coming back this week as well.

But how are you looking forward to him playing this week? Yeah,

How's it all come along?

Yeah, no, it's been good.

I think the ankle injury's probably hung around for longer than I thought, which has been a bit frustrating.

Probably the longest injury I've had for a long time now, so not being able to play was annoying.

But I think overall, the squad's healthy.

We've got two back on the weekend, which is a big boost for us.

Gussie potentially coming back this week as well.

But how are you looking forward to him playing this week? Yeah,

that as

a sign of weakness? Honestly, I can understand it.

Playing yesterday, I probably couldn't be bothered to come too.

But, Captain, you've got to do your duty.

I don't know.

I thought so.

Well, it's unfortunate but he had that 40-20.

40-20, he's set up, the way he plays, he's very squeezy, he's got a bright future.

How's it all come along?

Yeah, no, it's been good.

I think the ankle injury's probably hung around for longer than I thought, which has been a bit frustrating.

Probably the longest injury I've had for a long time now, so not being able to play was annoying.

But I think overall, the squad's healthy.

We've got two back on the weekend, which is a big boost for us.

Gussie potentially coming back this week as well.

But how are you looking forward to him playing this week? Yeah,

What, what does that mean, though? Like, he asks you questions or?

Well, from back then there was a lot of doubt, a lot of, uh, anxiety about getting injured.

So every game I was playing, I was, you know, copping niggles.

I had, you know, three or four surgeries in my first couple years.

So my body was...

I had a lot of doubt on, on my body, if I could get through games and, and get through a whole career.

Um, so that was, yeah, just trying to clear up my mind and not...

You ever got involved in

It must be frustrating.

Yeah, well, we spoke about that during the week.

We didn't want our mentality to change no matter who we were versus.

Under-respect the opposition or over-respect.

And obviously we got lots of pats on the back last week beating Penrith.

Everyone was saying how good we were going on top of the ladder.

And maybe that played into our psyche, I'm not sure.

Yeah,

they got a jump on you, mate?

Yeah, definitely.

We, we know that we weren't at our best, um, which is, you know, that's an honest call and we know we weren't good enough at the start of that game.

We, we made too many errors.

We go in field position.

Um, I think, I don't think our line speed and our, you know, aggressive, how you want to get off the line just wasn't good enough.

So that's all, that's all stuff we've acknowledged and we know we need to be better at and, you know, we had a lot of sessions today.

Mm-hmm.

But, you know, Hamoli Olukawatu, you've got to feel a little bit sorry for him that he missed out on the big squad, but he's still there in jersey 20.

Yeah, definitely.

I mean, very disappointed for him.

He's been in some great form as well.

And, you know, he just found out in camp that he was not going to be playing, which is, you know, to be fair, he's handled it really well.

He's still been around camp, still been smiling on his face and, you know, contributing where he can.

But I think for Dylan, it's a great, great opportunity for him.

Mate, that is a massive milestone and a very exclusive club.

But, you know, Hamoli Olukawatu, you've got to feel a little bit sorry for him that he missed out on the big squad, but he's still there in jersey 20.

Yeah, definitely.

I mean, very disappointed for him.

He's been in some great form as well.

And, you know, he just found out in camp that he was not going to be playing, which is, you know, to be fair, he's handled it really well.

He's still been around camp, still been smiling on his face and, you know, contributing where he can.

But I think for Dylan, it's a great, great opportunity for him.

Mate, that is a massive milestone and a very exclusive club.

they got a jump on you, mate?

Yeah, definitely.

We, we know that we weren't at our best, um, which is, you know, that's an honest call, and we know we weren't good enough at the start of that game.

We, we made too many errors.

We gave them field position.

Um, but I think, I think our line speed and our, you know, aggressive, how we wanna get off the line just wasn't good enough.

So that's all, that's all stuff we've acknowledged and we know we need to be better at.

Yeah

... got a jump on you, mate?

Yeah, definitely.

We, we know that we weren't at our best, um, which is, you know, that's an honest call, and we know we weren't good enough at the start of that game.

We, we made too many errors.

We got in field position.

Um, but I think, I think our line speed and our, you know, aggressive, how we wanna get off the line just wasn't good enough.

So that's all, that's all stuff we've acknowledged and we know we need to be better at and, you know, we had a lot of sessions today.

Yeah

But, you know, Hamoli Olukawatu, you've got to feel a little bit sorry for him that he missed out on the big squad, but he's still there in jersey 20.

Yeah, definitely.

I mean, very disappointed for him.

He's been in some great form as well.

And, you know, he just found out in camp that he was not going to be playing, which is, you know, to be fair, he's handled it really well.

He's still been around camp, still been smiling on his face and, you know, contributing where he can.

But I think for Dylan, it's a great, great opportunity for him.

Mate, that is a massive milestone and a very exclusive club.

But, you know, Hamoli Olukawatu, you've got to feel a little bit sorry for him that he missed out on the big squad, but he's still there in jersey 20.

Yeah, definitely.

I mean, very disappointed for him.

He's been in some great form as well.

And, you know, he just found out in camp that he was not going to be playing, which is, you know, to be fair, he's handled it really well.

He's still been around camp, still been smiling on his face and, you know, contributing where he can.

But I think for Dylan, it's a great, great opportunity for him.

Mate, that is a massive milestone and a very exclusive club.

But, you know, Hamoli Olukawatu, you've got to feel a little bit sorry for him that he missed out on the big squad, but he's still there in jersey 20.

Yeah, definitely.

I mean, very disappointed for him.

He's been in some great form as well.

And, you know, he just found out in camp that he was not going to be playing, which is, you know, to be fair, he's handled it really well.

He's still been around camp, still been smiling on his face and, you know, contributing where he can.

But I think for Dylan, it's a great, great opportunity for him.

Mate, that is a massive milestone and a very exclusive club.

But, you know, Hamoli Olukawatu, you've got to feel a little bit sorry for him that he missed out on the big squad, but he's still there in jersey 20.

Yeah, definitely.

I mean, very disappointed for him.

He's been in some great form as well.

And, you know, he just found out in camp that he was not going to be playing, which is, you know, to be fair, he's handled it really well.

He's still been around camp, still been smiling on his face and, you know, contributing where he can.

But I think for Dylan, it's a great, great opportunity for him.

Mate, that is a massive milestone and a very exclusive club.

But, you know, Hamoli Olukawatu, you've got to feel a little bit sorry for him that he missed out on the big squad, but he's still there in Jersey 20.

Yeah, definitely.

I mean, very disappointed for him.

He's been in some great form as well.

And, you know, he just found out in camp that he was not going to be playing, which is, you know, to be fair, he's handled it really well.

He's still been around camp, still been smiling on his face and, you know, contributing where he can.

But I think for Dylan, it's a great, great opportunity for him.

Mate, that is a massive milestone and a very exclusive club.

It must have felt pretty special, mate.

Yeah, just to be back in this arena is pretty special.

I think I sort of accepted last year that I might not get a chance back in this jersey and I was sort of content with that, but I think I've been really happy with how I've been playing the last couple of years, even though I haven't been playing for New South Wales or Australia, but I've been happy with how I've been playing and sort of if I keep that up, I might get another chance.

I think I just want to come back and again, I really miss just being around the best players in the game, you know, just talking about footy, talking about the game and just getting the insights from the best players in the game.

So that was really cool.

And then just getting back out there and playing my footy, I thought it was a really tough first half for us.

We made it very hard.

What do you put it down to? Is it the environment you're in? Is it what you do off the way from the game? How are you doing what you're doing now at 33 years old that you were doing at 27 and doing it better?

It mu- must have felt pretty special, mate.

Yeah, yeah.

Mate, yeah, just to be back, um, in this arena, it's pretty special.

I think I sort of accepted last year that, uh, I p- might not get a chance back in this jersey, and I was sort of content with that.

But, uh, I think, you know, I've been really happy with how I've been playing the last couple of years, even though I haven't been playing for New South Wales or Australia.

But I've been happy with how I've been playing and thought if I keep that up, I might get another chance.

I think I just, when I come back into camp, I really missed just being around the best players in the game and, you know, just talking about footy, um, talking about the game and, um, just getting the insights from, from the best players in the game.

... what you're doing now at 33 years old that you were doing at 27 and doing it better?