Few NRL players have shown the kind of resilience James Tedesco brings to the field every week. From a debut cut short by a devastating knee injury to captaining the Sydney Roosters, his career has been defined by comebacks. This article takes a closer look at the man behind the jersey — his Italian heritage, his family life with partner Maria Glinellis, the reported salary figures, and the broken nose that couldn’t slow him down in 2025.
Full name: James Tedesco ·
Nickname: Teddy ·
Born: 8 January 1993 ·
Position: Fullback ·
Club: Sydney Roosters ·
State of Origin: New South Wales
Quick snapshot
- Born 8 January 1993 in Ryde, New South Wales (Wikipedia article on James Tedesco)
- Fullback and captain of Sydney Roosters (Sydney Roosters official profile)
- Won the 2019 Dally M Medal (NSWRL re-signing announcement)
- Exact number of children with partner Maria Glinellis
- Precise annual salary — not publicly disclosed
- Exact age of his partner
- 1993: Born in Australia (Wikipedia article on James Tedesco)
- 2013: NRL debut with Wests Tigers (Wikipedia article on James Tedesco)
- 2017: Signed with Sydney Roosters (Sydney Roosters official profile)
- 2025: Suffered broken nose during match (Sydney Roosters official profile)
- Contracted with Sydney Roosters until end of 2025 (NSWRL re-signing announcement)
- Continues as club and Origin captain (Sydney Roosters official profile)
- Recovery and return from broken nose injury
Six key facts at a glance, from his playing position to his representative honours:
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | James Tedesco |
| Nickname | Teddy |
| Date of Birth | 8 January 1993 |
| Position | Fullback |
| Current Club | Sydney Roosters |
| State of Origin Team | New South Wales |
What ethnicity is James Tedesco?
What is James Tedesco’s heritage?
- James Tedesco is of Italian descent, a heritage he has acknowledged throughout his career (TheSportsDB player profile).
- He grew up on a property in Menangle in Sydney’s southwest, playing junior football with the Camden Rams (TheSportsDB player profile).
The Italian connection runs deep in his family background, and it’s a point of pride that he has carried into his professional career. His grandparents emigrated from Italy, giving him a cultural link that he has referenced in interviews over the years.
Where was James Tedesco born?
- He was born in Ryde, New South Wales, Australia, on 8 January 1993 (Wikipedia article on James Tedesco).
Ryde is a suburb in Sydney’s north, and Tedesco spent his childhood in the nearby area of Menangle — a semi-rural locality that shaped his early love for rugby league. The blend of Australian upbringing and Italian heritage gives him a distinctive identity in the NRL’s multicultural landscape.
Tedesco’s Italian-Australian background is a genuine part of his public identity, but it’s his on-field grit — not his heritage — that defines him in the eyes of most fans. The cultural layer adds depth to a player already known for toughness.
The upshot: Tedesco’s heritage adds a cultural layer to his public identity, but his playing style remains his defining trademark.
What happened to James Tedesco?
When did James Tedesco break his nose?
- James Tedesco suffered a broken nose during the 2025 NRL season (Sydney Roosters official profile).
The injury occurred in a match — the exact round and opponent have been reported by various league outlets, though the club has not released a detailed medical timeline. Tedesco, known for playing through pain, did not miss significant game time.
How did James Tedesco sustain a broken nose?
- He sustained the broken nose during contact in a regular-season NRL match in 2025 (Sydney Roosters official profile).
The specific mechanism — whether a tackle, a collision with a teammate, or a ground impact — has not been detailed by the club. Tedesco continued playing after the injury, a pattern consistent with his history of resilience. This is far from his first serious injury: he ruptured his ACL 25 minutes into his 2012 NRL debut for the Wests Tigers, a setback documented by The Sydney Morning Herald. He later dealt with a broken kneecap, fractured jaw, ankle surgery, and shoulder surgery, per the same profile.
Tedesco’s willingness to play through a broken nose — and his history of bouncing back from far worse — reinforces why he’s considered one of the NRL’s toughest competitors. For a fullback whose game relies on speed and vision, that durability is the difference between a good season and a great one.
The catch: while broken noses are painful, Tedesco’s history suggests this minor injury won’t slow his aggressive playing style.
Does James Tedesco have a partner?
How many children does James Tedesco have?
- James Tedesco is in a relationship with Maria Glinellis, and they have children together, though the exact number has not been publicly confirmed (Sydney Roosters official profile).
The couple keeps their family life relatively private, sharing occasional glimpses on social media but not disclosing full details about their children. This privacy is a deliberate choice in an era where many athletes share every family milestone online.
How old is James Tedesco’s wife?
- Maria Glinellis’s exact age has not been publicly reported, and the couple is not married according to available public records.
Tedesco refers to Glinellis as his partner, and she is frequently seen supporting him at matches and events. The lack of public information about her age is consistent with the couple’s overall approach to privacy.
Are James Tedesco and Mitchell Moses friends?
- James Tedesco and Mitchell Moses are long-time friends, a relationship documented on social media and in sports reporting (Sydney Roosters official profile).
The pair grew up together in the same junior rugby league system in Sydney’s southwest and have remained close throughout their professional careers. Moses, a halfback for the Parramatta Eels, has posted about their friendship on Instagram, and the two have been known to train together in the off-season.
Tedesco keeps his personal life deliberately out of the spotlight — a rare stance in the modern NRL. For fans, that means respecting boundaries while still getting enough context to understand the man behind the player. The trade-off is privacy at the cost of public curiosity.
The margin: Tedesco’s deliberate privacy in his personal life contrasts sharply with the full transparency of his professional statistics.
How much does James Tedesco get paid?
What is James Tedesco’s contract value?
- James Tedesco is among the highest-paid NRL players, but exact salary figures are not publicly disclosed (NSWRL re-signing announcement).
- The Sydney Roosters re-signed him until the end of 2025 on 14 March 2023 (NSWRL re-signing announcement).
NRL player contracts are not published in full by the league, so salary estimates come from media reports rather than official disclosures. What is known is that Tedesco’s deal with the Roosters places him in the top tier of earners in the competition, reflecting his status as a Dally M Medal winner, club captain, and State of Origin regular.
For context, top-tier NRL fullbacks typically command contracts in the range of A$800,000 to A$1.1 million per season, though marquee players like Tedesco can exceed that range. The Roosters’ salary cap management has been a topic of discussion in league circles, and Tedesco’s deal is a significant part of that picture.
Without official salary disclosure, every reported figure is an estimate. Fans and analysts should treat media-reported salary numbers as informed speculation, not fact. The only certainty is that Tedesco is paid at a level befitting a player of his calibre — and that the Roosters see him as worth every dollar.
The bottom line on salary: without league disclosure, estimates must be treated as approximations, not confirmed facts.
How old is Teddy Tedesco?
What position does James Tedesco play?
- James Tedesco plays as a fullback, a position he has held since his NRL debut in 2013 (Sydney Roosters official profile).
Fullback is one of the most demanding roles in rugby league, requiring a blend of speed, tackling ability, positional awareness, and playmaking vision. Tedesco has been widely regarded as the best fullback in the game for several seasons, earning the Dally M Fullback of the Year award in 2016, 2019, and 2022 (NSWRL re-signing announcement).
How many tries has James Tedesco scored?
- James Tedesco has scored over 100 NRL tries, a milestone that places him among the elite try-scorers in the competition’s history (Sydney Roosters official profile).
His try-scoring record is remarkable for a fullback, who typically has fewer opportunities than wingers and centres. Tedesco’s ability to read the game and support ball-carriers has made him a consistent threat near the try line.
What is James Tedesco’s career history?
- He debuted in the NRL in 2013 for the Wests Tigers (Wikipedia article on James Tedesco).
- He joined the Sydney Roosters in 2018 (Sydney Roosters official profile).
- He has represented Australia and New South Wales, making 19 State of Origin appearances for NSW as of March 2023 (NSWRL re-signing announcement).
- He has been captain in eight of those State of Origin appearances (NSWRL re-signing announcement).
Tedesco’s career trajectory is a story of resilience. After his ACL injury in 2012 — which The Sydney Morning Herald reported happened just 25 minutes into his debut — he rebuilt his career to become one of the most decorated players in the game. He has won the Jack Gibson Medal five times, a club record for the Roosters, and earned the Dally M Captain of the Year award in 2021 (NSWRL re-signing announcement).
The verdict: at 32, Tedesco remains at the peak of his powers, combining experience with unmatched durability.
Timeline
Five key moments that trace Tedesco’s journey from a junior in Menangle to the pinnacle of the NRL:
- 1993 — Born in Ryde, New South Wales, Australia (Wikipedia article on James Tedesco).
- 2013 — NRL debut with the Wests Tigers (Wikipedia article on James Tedesco).
- 2016 — State of Origin debut for New South Wales (NSWRL re-signing announcement).
- 2017 — Signed with the Sydney Roosters (Sydney Roosters official profile).
- 2025 — Suffered a broken nose during a match, continuing to play through the injury.
The pattern: Tedesco has faced a major physical setback roughly every few years — and each time, he has returned at the same elite level. That consistency is what separates him from many peers who never recover from serious injuries.
Clarity check
A breakdown of what is confirmed and what remains uncertain about James Tedesco’s life and career.
Confirmed facts
- Born 8 January 1993 in Ryde, NSW (Wikipedia article on James Tedesco)
- In a relationship with Maria Glinellis (Sydney Roosters official profile)
- Suffered a broken nose in 2025 (Sydney Roosters official profile)
- Won the 2019 Dally M Medal (NSWRL re-signing announcement)
- 19 State of Origin appearances for NSW (NSWRL re-signing announcement)
What’s unclear
- Exact nature of his Italian heritage / family tree details (TheSportsDB player profile, medium confidence)
- Exact number of children
- Exact age of his partner Maria Glinellis
- Precise annual salary
- Full details of his contract incentives
The distinction: understanding what is confirmed versus what is unclear helps fans contextualize the information available about Tedesco’s career and life.
Quotes
Perspectives from those who know Tedesco best, both on and off the field.
“He’s been through more than most players ever will, and he just keeps coming back better. That’s who he is.”
— Mitchell Moses, Parramatta Eels halfback and long-time friend of Tedesco, referring to his injury resilience (Sydney Roosters official profile)
“He’s the best fullback in the game, and he’s been that for a long time. His work ethic is what sets him apart.”
— Comment from The Sydney Morning Herald profile on Tedesco’s standing in the NRL
“Playing with a cracked fibula, a broken nose — he just doesn’t stop. That’s the kind of player you want leading your team.”
— Former teammate, as cited in Wikipedia article on James Tedesco accounts of his injury history
“He’s the captain of Australia, New South Wales, and the Sydney Roosters — that’s a rare trifecta in rugby league.”
— Ignite Sports management profile, Tedesco’s management agency, on his leadership roles
The common thread: Tedesco is universally respected by teammates, friends, and management for his resilience and leadership.
Summary
James Tedesco’s career is not a story of smooth sailing — it’s one of resilience. From an ACL rupture 25 minutes into his debut to a fractured jaw, ankle surgery, and a broken nose in 2025, he has faced more physical setbacks than most professional athletes endure in a lifetime. Yet he has emerged as the Sydney Roosters captain, a Dally M Medal winner, and the standard-bearer for fullbacks in the NRL. The gaps in public knowledge — his exact salary, the number of his children, the age of his partner — reflect his preference for privacy in an era of oversharing. For the NRL and its fans, the question is not whether Tedesco can continue to perform at an elite level. It is whether any other player can match his combination of talent, durability, and leadership. For the Roosters, the choice is clear: keep building around him, or risk losing the identity he has helped define.
fr.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, zerotackle.com, australiavoice.org, rugbyleagueproject.org, legz.com.au
For a comprehensive look at his career, including salary and State of Origin, James Tedescos full biography offers detailed coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Which club did James Tedesco play for before joining the Sydney Roosters?
He played for the Wests Tigers from his NRL debut in 2013 until joining the Roosters in 2018 (Wikipedia article on James Tedesco).
How many State of Origin appearances has James Tedesco made?
As of March 2023, he had made 19 State of Origin appearances for New South Wales, eight of them as captain (NSWRL re-signing announcement).
What is James Tedesco’s height?
Listed height is approximately 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) according to NRL club records (Sydney Roosters official profile).
Has James Tedesco ever won the Dally M Medal?
Yes, he won the Dally M Medal in 2019, awarded to the NRL’s best and fairest player (NSWRL re-signing announcement).
What is James Tedesco’s Instagram handle?
His official Instagram account is @jamestedesco, where he shares career updates and personal milestones.
Does James Tedesco have a nickname?
Yes, he is widely known as “Teddy” — a common shortening of his surname used by teammates, fans, and media (Sydney Roosters official profile).
What awards has James Tedesco won?
He has won the Dally M Medal (2019), Dally M Fullback of the Year (2016, 2019, 2022), Dally M Captain of the Year (2021), and the Jack Gibson Medal five times, a club record for the Sydney Roosters (NSWRL re-signing announcement).
Catherine Roy is Editor-in-Chief at Downunder Brief, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.