Sydney Roosters icon Brad Fittler has revealed the reasons why fullback James Tedesco has had a form slump and struggled last season.
Despite a late-season surge that saw him make the top-eight and defeat the Cronulla Sharks in the opening round of the finals, the Roosters didn't look like the team they have been in previous years and never looked like contending with the likes of the Panthers, Broncos, Storm and Warriors.
One of the main reasons behind this was the limited impact of James Tedesco.
A representative fullback for New South Wales and Australia, Tedesco only managed to average 185 run metres per game, 15 line-breaks and 11 try-assists - statistics that decreased from his previous season in the tri-colours.
"He was down on form," Fittler said on Wide World of Sports' Freddy and The Eighth.
"What happens with someone like Teddy, he tries to over compensate with runs … he turns into a bit like a back-rower or lock forward.
"They need to play him off two passes, get him on the inside off [Luke] Keary and get him out of dummy-half and first receiver. I don't know how well he does that and I don't think he has to. He does so well off that second pass.
"He needs to get out of first receiver and stop wanting to run."
Fittler's statement was echoed by NRL Immortal Andrew Johns, who believes that the fullback's main struggles were due to the team he was playing with and not just because of himself.
However, the fullback also struggled in the State of Origin arena with many critics calling for him to be replaced by three-time premiership winner and 2022 Clive Churchill medallist Dylan Edwards.
"He was playing in a team that was struggling," Johns added.
"He was playing first receiver, playing like a front-rower and a halfback and then trying to get in shape as a fullback ... you can't do it all."
