James Tedesco skips Roosters’ Mad Monday celebrations as impact from Tom Burgess’ high shot lingers

James Tedesco revealed he was forced to skip the Roosters’ Mad Monday celebrations as he continues to deal with the lingering impact of Tom Burgess’ crunching tackle.

The Roosters skipper was knocked out in a brutal elimination final at Allianz Stadium on Sunday, after copping a high shot from the Rabbitohs prop. 

Burgess was one of a record seven players sin-binned in wild clash, which the Rabbitohs won 30-14 to book a semi-final berth against Cronulla on Saturday.

James Tedesco failed an HIA after copping a high shot from Tom Burgess on Sunday

The England international was suspended for two games after entering an early guilty plea to a high tackle charge, meaning he will miss both the game against the Sharks and a preliminary final against Penrith if Souths make it that far.

Tedesco admitted he was still feeling the effects of the tackle, which ruled him out of the contest halfway through the first half after he failed a head injury assessment.  

‘He got me pretty good. I was out for a bit,’ he told the Daily Telegraph.

‘I don’t know if it looked as bad as it felt, but it was pretty solid. My memory isn’t too bad. I ran back in [to the sheds] and was feeling all right, but once I sat down and did the test, it kicked in and I was rattled.

Burgess (left) collected the Roosters skipper with a high shot during a wild elimination final

Tedesco remembers most of Sunday’s game but admitted he was ‘rattled’ by the tackle 

‘I struggled on the test. The doctor told me not to go back out. It was a weird one. I was definitely out, then I wanted to get up quickly and I stumbled.’

With the Roosters’ season over following the loss to their arch-rivals, players gathered for the traditional Mad Monday celebrations. Tedesco, however, opted to skip the festivities to give himself the best chance of recovering from the concussion. 

‘The doctors advised me not to have any beers, and I know personally that wouldn’t be good for me, for my recovery or health,’ he added. 

‘With the [World Cup] tour coming up I want to be fresh and healthy for that. If I need to wait a few days and have a few drinks at the end of the week with the boys, I’m happy to do that.’

Burgess (right) was one of seven players sin-binned in a brutal clash between the Roosters and the Rabbitohs at Allianz Stadium on Sunday 

He was banned for two games after entering an early guilty plea to a high tackle charge

In the powder-keg environment that was Allianz Stadium on Sunday, the age-old issue of players staying down on the turf in the hope of winning a penalty reared its head again.

On Tuesday, Rabbitohs star Latrell Mitchell laughed off claims he stayed down after being tackled to win penalties. 

Tedesco conceded milking penalties was not a good look for rugby league, but insisted it was not something the Roosters had ever considered. 

Roosters coach Trent Robinson bristled at a reporter who asked him whether players from both teams were milking penalties during Sunday’s clash at Allianz Stadium 

‘It’s definitely something we don’t do,’ he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

‘I don’t think it is in the spirit of the game to stay down. We’re tough footy players. […] There will be contact and you get hit in the head, that is going to happen.

‘The ref should be able to pick up — if it is foul play or a high tackle or a crusher. We should be good enough as a game.’