BREAKING: TEDESCO NAMED ROOSTERS’ HIGHEST-PAID PLAYER AS ALLIANZ STADIUM ERUPTS IN EXCITEMENT
Allianz Stadium has been swept with excitement following a major announcement from Sydney Roosters head coach Trent Robinson – with the club’s board, led by CEO and President Nick Politis AM, confirming James Tedesco as the new highest-paid player in the team’s history.
In a statement delivered to fans and the wider Australian Rules Football community on Saturday afternoon, Politis praised Tedesco’s unwavering loyalty and announced the blockbuster deal that finally rewards the superstar fullback for choosing the Roosters over more lucrative offers throughout his career.
“For many times James has turned down bigger offers that surpass ours here, but always pledged royalty over financial gains – now is the time to pay his patient time for everything he has given this club,” Politis said, his words met with thunderous applause from supporters gathered at Allianz Stadium for a pre-season fan day.
The landmark contract, details of which remain confidential but are understood to place Tedesco among the highest-paid players in the NRL, caps a remarkable journey for the 31-year-old who has established himself as a club legend and one of the game’s greatest ever fullbacks.
Tedesco’s trophy cabinet at the Roosters is unparalleled: he has claimed multiple Jack Gibson Medals as the club’s Player of the Year, won the prestigious Dally M Medal (NRL Player of the Year) twice, and been voted the Roosters’ Players’ Champion by his teammates on multiple occasions. Since joining the club in 2018, he has led the Roosters to two NRL premierships (2018 and 2019) and has served as club captain since 2019, becoming the face of the franchise both on and off the field.
Speaking at the announcement, head coach Trent Robinson described Tedesco as “the heart and soul of our team.” “James embodies everything we stand for at the Roosters – talent, dedication, and an unshakeable commitment to the jersey,” Robinson said. “While he could have left for more money time and time again, he chose to build his legacy here, and this deal is our way of acknowledging that sacrifice and his extraordinary contribution.”
Fans at Allianz Stadium broke into chants of “Tedesco, Tedesco” as the fullback took the stage, visibly emotional as he addressed the crowd. “This club has given me everything – the chance to win premierships, to grow as a player and a person, and the most amazing supporters in the game,” Tedesco said. “Loyalty means everything to me, and I never once doubted that this is where I belong. To be named the highest-paid player here is an incredible honor, but what matters most is continuing to win for this club and our fans.”
The announcement has sent ripples through the NRL and Australian sporting community, with many hailing it as a rare example of a club rewarding loyalty in an era dominated by big-money player moves. Allianz Stadium will host the Roosters’ first home game of the 2026 season next month, where Tedesco will take the field as the club’s highest-paid player for the first time.
