Phil Gould makes brutal call to axe James Tedesco despite agonising near-miss in Dally M

Phil Gould has made the huge call for Mal Meninga to replace James Tedesco as captain of the Kangaroos, despite the Roosters star winning Dally M fullback of the year. Tedesco came within one point of winning his second Dally M medal on Wednesday night but missed out to Melbourne Storm halfback Jahrome Hughes.

However, Tedesco was rewarded for an outstanding NRL season having been selected in the team of the year at No.1. The 31-year-old's season is over with the Roosters eliminated by the Storm last week, but the fullback is waiting to find out whether he will retain his No.1 jersey for the Kangaroos.

Plenty has been made about whether Meninga should look to freshen up the Australian team for the international matches against Tonga and New Zealand at the end of the season. The Kangaroos lost 30-0 in their last match to New Zealand, which prompted calls for a change.

Tedesco may have lost his NSW jersey to Dylan Edwards, but the fullback revitalised his club career for the Roosters and it showed in the Dally M awards. Edwards' availability for Australia could go someway in determining who is the fullback for Australia with Tedesco no certainty to retain his jersey.

However, while Gould didn't suggest Tedesco should be dropped from Meninga's Kangaroos squad, the NRL supremo did suggest there should be a new captain this year with one-eye on the future. And Panthers co-captain Isaah Yeo should be the man replace him.

"He should be player of the year, he should be the Australian captain," Gould said on the 'Six Tackles with Gus' podcast. "I think he's my tip for the Clive Churchill Medal to be honest.

"I think he's been the best player in the competition from here to the moon. I don't think there's any comparison to his body of work from any player, from any club, from any position. The playmakers get all the plaudits ... but for a sheer body of work, productive to his team, week in, week out, 80 minutes a week.

"He even played during the Origin period when his teammates stood down from games, such was his leadership and desire to keep the momentum for his team. Go out and ask any of the Panthers players who's been the best player in their team this year ... I bet they say Isaah Yeo."

Yeo started in the Kangaroos' last match with Cameron Murray moving to the second row. However, NSW coach Michael Maguire started Murray at No.13 in Game 2 and 3 of this year's State of Origin series, resulting in Yeo coming off the bench.

Gould's suggestion Yeo should be captain could be determined on how Meninga uses Yeo in 2024. Murray missed the last few games of the Rabbitohs' season due to suspension, but should be available for the New Zealand clash.

James Tedesco shuts down critics with Dally M form

Plenty was made of Tedesco's form heading into the 2024 season after lacklustre performances for NSW and the Kangaroos in the representative arena. However, the Roosters fullback immediately showed he was not ready to relinquish his position as the game's premier fullback just yet having found form to start the 2024 campaign.

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And Tedesco finished second in this year's Dally M awards behind Hughes in a close showdown that went down to the final game of the season. While many felt Tedesco's form has been dropping for some years, his Dally M record would suggest otherwise.

Tedesco has now finished towards the top of the awards for four of the last six seasons. He won the award in 2019 and has since finished fourth or better in 2021, 2022 and 2024.

While his form may have dipped last year with the Roosters' form also not ideal, doubt over his ability to show his class have been quelled. And Tedesco has also confirmed he would play for the Kangaroos at the end of the season not yet willing to give up his captaincy role.