Tedesco Nrl: Keary Says Weekes Needs More Freedom
Luke Keary used tedesco nrl to put Canberra’s Kaeo Weekes role under the microscope at CommBank Stadium on Saturday night, saying the Raiders fullback was being used too narrowly on the left side. He said Weekes is the Raiders’ best attacking player and should be roaming across the field instead of waiting on the left-hand short side.
Keary’s point was blunt. Weekes, he said, was “parked on the left hand side of the field. He is their best attacking player, their most potent attacking player. He needs to be roaming around this field.”
Keary’s Weekes warning
The criticism came during Parramatta’s game against Canberra, with Keary arguing that Weekes needed to be able to “go wherever he wants.” He added that Weekes was “just sitting on left hand short site not touching the ball at all,” and said Canberra needed to get him involved more often.
That view resurfaced seven minutes into the second half, after Kitione Kautoga’s try in the 48th minute. Keary again said Weekes should be deployed on the right side as well, keeping the focus on how often Canberra are getting their fullback into touch.
Raiders’ shifting right edge
The Raiders have not always used Weekes the same way. In 2024, he filled in at halfback after Jamal Fogarty injured his biceps early in Round 7, then moved to fullback by Round 18. In 2025, Fogarty controlled the right-hand side while Weekes also played on that edge.
By 2026, Ricky Stuart had paired Weekes with Ethan Strange down the right edge of the field. Keary’s complaint at CommBank Stadium cut against that broader usage, because his point was not that Weekes should stay locked to one touchline but that Canberra should let him influence more of the attack.
Penrith and Parramatta comparison
Greg Alexander pushed the discussion wider by asking how many NRL teams limit their fullback to one side. Keary pointed to Penrith, saying they do it a little with Dylan Edwards on the right and Blaize Talagi on the left, while Nathan Cleary plays more through the middle because of how influential he is.
He also noted that Parramatta gave Isaiah Iongi more freedom to link up with either half on both edges. That left Weekes as the clear comparison point in this game, with Canberra’s best attacking player being discussed not for what he produced with the ball, but for how often he was allowed to get near it.
For the Raiders, the message from Saturday night was simple: if Weekes stays parked on the left, his attacking reach shrinks. Keary’s comments made the usage of Canberra’s fullback part of the story, not just the scoreline at CommBank Stadium.
