Trent Robinson has hit back at "unwarranted" criticism of James Tedesco after the fullback took a holiday while the Sydney Roosters fought to keep their NRL season alive.
Fresh from captaining NSW in the third State of Origin match, Tedesco was rested for last week's match against Melbourne, which ended in a loss that consigned the Roosters to 14th spot on the ladder.
The defeat left the Roosters needing six victories from their final seven games to finish the season with a winning record, and even that may not be enough to guarantee a place in the top eight.
The Roosters had a world-class back-up fullback, Joey Manu, at their disposal for the pivotal clash against the Storm.
But Tedesco's absence prompted media criticism in a season already dominated by scrutiny of the captain's form.
Backlash only intensified when it came to light Tedesco had been on holidays with his partner rather than at the SCG supporting his team.
But Robinson insisted Tedesco did not deserve any criticism for what he described as a "simple" decision.
"I felt like the criticism of him was really harsh. It was unwarranted," Robinson said.
"It was my call, and I asked him to go away. I didn't want him around.
"But then the heat comes when we don't get the result.
"It had nothing to do with him, we still believed in our team and what we could do. I felt like it was really unfair."
Robinson said Tedesco did not have the chance to get away during the Roosters' last two byes, which took place while he was in NSW camp.
The fullback's most recent off-season was also disrupted by extra work captaining Australia at the World Cup.
"There's no one that's had a bigger campaign than him since last year and this year," Robinson said.
"I felt like a fresh and rejuvenated seven weeks of play was really important.
"He hasn't had a break since he came back in January. So to give him five days off, it seems quite normal. But not everyone saw it that way."
Tedesco returns to face Gold Coast on Saturday, when the Roosters fight to remain in the hunt for an unlikely finals berth.
"We're in a really clear spot about what we want to do tomorrow and we've got to go out and do it," Robinson said.
"For us, it is week to week. We know where we sit but we also know how we want to play so belief is still right there."
