James Tedesco has signed a one-year contract extension to remain at the Sydney Roosters, ending speculation over his ability to co-exist on the same roster as Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
Tedesco had been contracted to the end of 2024 on a deal worth a reported $1.1 million per season.
By keeping him at the club through 2025, the Roosters have prevented rivals from opening negotiations with their captain after November 1.
Tedesco's new deal answers questions over whether the Roosters could retain him as well as Joey Manu and Suaalii, highly rated fullbacks in their own right currently playing in the outside backs.
On Monday, Tedesco was adamant the trio could co-exist in the same back-line, telling reporters: "If we can get us all together playing for many years to come, it is really beneficial for the club."
Suaalii signed his own Roosters contract extension earlier this month, while Manu is tied to a deal that expires at the end of next season.
By the time Tedesco's new contract runs out at the end of the 2025 season, he will be approaching his 33rd birthday.
"I'm proud to lead this club and I've enjoyed my career here at the Roosters so far," Tedesco said on Tuesday.
"We're a close group and I'm looking forward to continuing to work with the team we have here to add to the Roosters' rich history."
Since joining the Roosters from the Wests Tigers in 2018, Tedesco has won two premierships, earned the Dally M Medal as the NRL's best-and-fairest player and become captain of the NSW and Australia sides.
Widely regarded as the best fullback in the game, Tedesco has been recognised as the Roosters' player of the year after each of his five seasons with the club. Since its inception in 1995, no other player has won the Jack Gibson Medal five times.
"Teddy is our leader and such a big part of our club," Roosters coach Trent Robinson said.
"He has an incredible work ethic and it's a real honour to coach him."
Tedesco will be pivotal to the Roosters' hopes of making a deeper run into the finals than they managed in 2022.
After finishing the regular season with eight consecutive wins, the Roosters lost to South Sydney in their elimination final.
It marked only the second time in Robinson's 10 seasons in charge that the side failed to progress beyond the first week of the play-offs.
