The Sydney Roosters have already mapped out their contingency plan at the fullback position, with versatile utility back Cody Ramsey ready to step into the starting role if captain James Tedesco is rested for this weekend’s NRL clash against the Melbourne Storm. Tedesco is set to make his emotional return to the State of Origin arena on Wednesday night, suiting up for the New South Wales Blues in his first Origin appearance since the 2024 tournament opener. It remains uncertain whether the veteran fullback will travel straight to Melbourne after the representative fixture to compete in Saturday’s high-stakes round match, leaving coach Trent Robinson with a difficult selection call to make.
Robinson already faces a series of selection headaches ahead of the game. Key spine players Sam Walker and Reece Robson will also feature in Wednesday’s State of Origin clash, adding to questions around their availability for the club fixture. To compound the coach’s challenges, the Roosters are currently dealing with a backline injury crisis, with starting wingers Daniel Tupou and Mark Nawaqanitawase both sidelined with injuries.
For Ramsey, a potential call-up to fullback would cap one of the most inspiring comeback stories of the 2024 NRL season. The outside back made his long-awaited return to the top flight earlier this month after a gruelling, life-disrupting battle with ulcerative colitis that kept him sidelined for months. Since his comeback, Ramsey has featured in three first-grade games on the wing, but he has extensive experience in the fullback position: he has already played 14 NRL fullback games for his former club St George Illawarra Dragons, and spent the entire 2023 NSW Cup season wearing the number 1 jersey for the Dragons’ feeder side.
“I played the whole of last year’s Cup at fullback, and I trained full-time in the position all pre-season,” Ramsey told NewsWire in a recent interview. “It’s genuinely my natural position. I’ve spent a lot of time on the wing in the NRL too, so I’m happy to cover any spot the team needs. I’m more than comfortable sliding into fullback if that’s what the coach requires for the weekend.”
Ramsey noted he has not yet discussed a potential positional switch with Robinson, after the Roosters enjoyed a bye in round 12 and opened match week with a light training session on Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Monday. Even if he does not connect with Tedesco directly after Wednesday’s Origin fixture, Ramsey says he has already learned plenty from the Roosters captain during the pair’s off-season training together over summer.
“I love how Tedesco reads defensive movements as a fullback, and how he approaches different areas of the field,” Ramsey said. “I’ve learned so much about the role from him – especially how to better read developing play, because he’s probably the best in the competition at that skill. All the little tips he’s given me have been incredibly helpful. My biggest strength as a fullback is my ability to run off the back of attacking shapes, and that’s something I’ve always felt confident in. I’ve also improved my passing game drastically since I last held a fullback spot in the NRL. I wasn’t known for my passing before my time out, but over the past year in the Cup I’ve worked really hard to refine that part of my game, especially as a fullback.”
Roosters veteran forward Nat Butcher has thrown his full support behind Ramsey, saying the entire squad is confident he can capably fill Tedesco’s shoes if called upon. “He’s definitely ready for the opportunity,” Butcher said. “All of the boys know how good he is in training. He did the entire pre-season with us, and spent a lot of that time playing against our starting 17 in our training drills. He was a constant headache for our defence every session – we always had to be at our absolute best to contain him, because he’s such a quality player that you can never take him lightly. If he does get the chance to wear the number 1 this weekend, we all have full confidence in him. He’ll do a great job filling Ted’s spot.”
If Ramsey does shift to fullback, the Roosters could recall Billy Smith to fill the vacant wing spot, though both Smith and Tommy Talau are currently listed in the NRL’s official casualty ward, leaving their own availability in question.