James Tedesco has fired one last salvo in his bid to keep his NSW State of Origin jersey, leading the Sydney Roosters to a 28-18 win over Parramatta.
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Less than 24 hours before Michael Maguire is set to pick his Blues side for Origin II, Tedesco was the Roosters' best at a wet CommBank Stadium on Saturday night.
The Roosters fullback was heavily involved as his team shot out to a 16-0 halftime lead, before the Eels fought back to hold an 18-16 advantage after the break.
Ultimately the Roosters did enough to claim the win, with Daniel Tupou going over in the left corner with 15 minutes to play, before Angus Crichton sealed the victory.
Mitch Moses also made a case for his own Origin return in NSW's halves, scoring a try to kick off the Eels' comeback late in the first half.
The No.7 had plenty of involvements, but for the second week in a row couldn't get Parramatta across the line in a close finish.
He is now locked in a battle with Nicho Hynes, Cody Walker and Jarome Luai for two halves spots.
Instead, the man who made the biggest statement on Saturday was Tedesco.
The Roosters captain is widely expected to lose his NSW jersey to Dylan Edwards, provided the Penrith fullback gets through his clash against Newcastle unscathed.
But after Tedesco was called into Blues camp late for Origin I and had a mixed night in place of an injured Edwards, he starred in his first game back in the NRL.
The fullback threw the last pass to Fetalaiga Pauga for the Roosters' first try, and also set up Tupou as the Tricolours shot out to a 16-0 lead.
He was again involved in Tupou's second try that put the Roosters back ahead, sending the ball out the back to Crichton, who put the winger over.
The Roosters No.1 finished the game with a try-saver on Blaize Talagi, to go with his four tackle busts and 178 metres with ball in hand.
The result ensures the Roosters will finish the round in fifth spot, and lands another nail in Parramatta's faint finals hopes with their 10th defeat of 2024.
Seemingly out of the contest for most of the first half after an early Kelma Tuilagi sin-bin for a dangerous throw set the tone, the Eels sparked to life just before the break.
They scored two tries either side of halftime, with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves in the sin bin for a high tackle, with Moses the first to cross after Junior Paulo put Reagan Campbell-Gillard in a hole.
Dylan Brown stepped past three Roosters for the Eels' next with Waerea-Hargreaves off, before a Talagi try made it 16-16 after 47 minutes.
Parramatta then had the lead when Lindsay Collins was penalised for dissent, but couldn't hold on as the Roosters' class on the edges told.
Australian Associated Press
