The National Rugby League’s polarizing disrupter rule has sparked weeks of fierce backlash after a string of widely criticized officiating calls — but one of the code’s most respected star players has broken with popular opinion to offer rare public support for the controversial regulation.
Sydney Roosters skipper James Tedesco has stepped forward to defend the rule, just days after the NRL publicly admitted officials misapplied it during a high-stakes weekend clash between his side and the Cronulla Sharks, a mistake that cost the Roosters a guaranteed try. The incorrect call came when match officials ruled Roosters forward Robert Toia had illegally disrupted Sharks winger Sam Stonestreet as Stonestreet attempted to catch a high kick, adjudging Toia’s contact enough to invalidate what would have been a Roosters try. Post-match review confirmed the contact was minimal and the ruling wrong, yet the NRL has confirmed it has no plans to scrap the rule despite growing outcry from fans, coaches and players.
Luckily for the Roosters, the officiating error did not shift the final result: the Sharks scored a try of their own just a minute after the disallowed Roosters four-pointer, but Trent Robinson’s side held on to secure the win. Speaking at a promotional event for Greyhound National Adoption Day on Thursday, Tedesco said he believed the core purpose of the rule — which is designed to protect players jumping to catch high kicks — is sound, and that most confusion stems from inconsistent application rather than a flaw in the rule itself.
“I think I understand it,” Tedesco said alongside Parramatta Eels star Mitch Moses at the launch event. “I thought there was nothing wrong with that challenge on the weekend but they thought it was, and now they’ve said they got it wrong. So as long as it’s clear going forward and consistent with the calls, then I’ll be happy.”
Tedesco went on to break down his reading of the rule, explaining that it properly targets dangerous, unawares contact rather than fair contests between two players both focused on the ball. “The main thing it brought in was to protect the catcher. If there’s contact before the ball is coming down and (the offender) weren’t looking at the ball, then that’s a penalty, that’s a disrupter. Whereas two guys looking at the ball competing for the ball is always going to be contact.”
The Roosters fullback added that the rule does not change his own approach to aerial contests, noting that he keeps his eyes on the ball on both attack and defense, a habit that aligns with the rule’s core intent. “Let’s hope there’s consistency going forward and it’s all cleared up, because you don’t want them coming out after the game saying that was wrong and it costs us a try,” he said.
Off the field, Tedesco also shared his thoughts on this weekend’s upcoming clash, where the third-placed Roosters will host the resurgent Newcastle Knights at Allianz Stadium on Sunday. The Knights have been one of the NRL’s biggest surprise packages in the 2026 season, transforming from having the league’s worst attack in 2025 to a top-performing offensive unit under new head coach Justin Holbrook — a man who served as an assistant coach at the Roosters over the past two years before taking the Knights top job.
Holbrook’s return to a head coaching role comes three years after he was sacked by the Gold Coast Titans in 2023, and Tedesco said he is thrilled to see his former mentor finding success in his new role. “We’ve had chats over the years, obviously it was pretty difficult for him going in there (to the Titans) and the sort of situation he was in. So I definitely felt bad for him in that way,” Tedesco said. “I was very happy for him that he landed with us (as an assistant). He’s a very high energy guy, very positive, and definitely brought out some of my best attacking footy as well. So I’m very happy for him to get another chance up there and to see them doing really well even with injuries to key players.”
Despite his personal respect for Holbrook, Tedesco made clear that any goodwill will be put aside when the two sides run out on Sunday. “But there’ll be no feelings from playing on the weekend, we really want to go after a win and if that’s going to affect Justo, then that’s just how it is.”