Despite recent debate about State Origin being a trial for international selection, itโs been nearly three years since the Australian Kangaroos have played a rugby league Test.
A lot has changed in that time - and not just because of the impact of the global pandemic on the game and the world at large.
The captain of that last Kangaroos squad, Boyd Cordner, has since retired due to ongoing concussion issues, leaving a leadership void in the national team that will need to be addressed before the World Cup in October.
The former captain has some thoughts on who should fill the vacancy โ and heโs been supported in his call by two of the other leading contenders.
Following the quick-fire retirements of Roosters leaders Cordner and Jake Friend, 2019 Dally M Player of the Year James Tedesco was the obvious choice to take the reins in Bondi.
The same thing then happened with the NSW Origin team, which Cordner also captained.
โWe all know the player Teddy is, heโs never content until the final siren goes,โ Cordner told The Daily Telegraph.
โHe fights for every inch, and when your captain does that you have no other choice as a player (but) to go with him.โ
โWhat he did with the Roosters last year, to keep them together under adversity and injuries, was unbelievable.โ
โImagine what he would be like leading Australia. Heโd only grow (further) as a leader and player.โ
While itโs little surprise Cordner would favour his former NRL team-mate for the national honour, heโs been supported by two other leading contenders โ Nathan Cleary and Cameron Murray.
โTeddyโs up there with one of the best leaders Iโve played with in terms of what he says and what he backs up with his actions,โ said Murray, who is captain of the South Sydney Rabbitohs and has captained NSW at under-18 and under-20 levels.
โIโd back him to become the next Test captain,โ Murray told the Daily Telegraph.
Cleary, another club captain, was equally effusive in his praise of Tedesco.
โEver since he got the NSW captaincyโฆ heโs grown so much as a leader,โ said Cleary.
โEveryone looks at him like this amazing player, and he is. But now heโs become this terrific leader.โ
โWhen he speaks he commands respect, and thatโs what a good captain needs. I think heโd do a great job for Australia.โ
