Loading

“I don’t see myself as the only leader or captain, we have many leaders and captains here, they all communicate well and lead by example,” Tedesco said.

Cleary added: “You can’t always rely on one person, and we don’t want to be like that.

“We want everyone in the team to have a voice, and having five club captains helps that - nobody is afraid to speak up and give their thoughts.

“I’m more confident than I have ever been when it comes to being a leader. I’m still learning the role with ‘Yeoy’, but it’s been a good process. Teddy is an amazing leader.”

Yeo said the captains were the ones meant to lead by example, and it was no surprise to see the continual respect Tedesco received from the players.

Murray said he was grateful to learn from his fellow captains, while Paulo said his own leadership had developed because of the time he had spent around the Blues.

“Freddy has always been big on us players being leaders once we leave these camps,” Paulo said.

“I know for me the past couple of years have certainly helped mould me into a captain. You can never have too much experience in a team. And when you come into these camps, there is so much quality with the players, you learn so much, and you want to take those lessons you learn back to your club.”

Tedesco, 29, continues to earn high praise for his leadership, with Roosters teammate - and Sunday’s stand-in skipper - Luke Keary impressed by the way he had slotted into the role made look so easy for so many years by his club and state predecessor Cordner.

“Had you told me he was going to be the captain of the club when he first arrived here at the end of 2017, I would have laughed because he was such an introvert, he wasn’t loud or outgoing,” Keary said.

“But each year he’s grown as a person and leader and it’s almost become like a natural decision that he’s the guy to lead the club and his state after Boydo. The first couple of years we played, he would never day a thing after we scored a try and were walking back. Now, Teddy is all over the feel of the game, what he wants from the team and has a really good sense of what the team needs and what to say in certain moments. He’s been awesome.

“I’ve seen how much he takes on here at the Roosters, Origin and the Australian stuff, but it’s never affected him. You can tell nothing is ever a burden for him.”

Watch the State of Origin exclusively live and free on Channel 9 and 9Now.