Club legend Brad Fittler is convinced Sam Walker will prove himself as the Sydney Roosters’ long-term halfback in 2024 by bouncing back from a difficult year.
Coach Trent Robinson dropped the 2021 Dally M rookie of the year last April and the 21-year-old’s path back to the NRL became blocked when he sprained his anterior cruciate ligament shortly afterwards.
After his axing, reports emerged Walker had clashed with Roosters halves consultant Cooper Cronk and had been shopped to the Dolphins by a third party despite being contracted through 2025.
Four months after he was dropped, Walker returned for the penultimate game before the finals and memorably won the Roosters their elimination final against Cronulla with a field goal.
Fittler spent time at Roosters pre-season training this week and left convinced the 21-year-old would keep his form going into 2024 and assert himself as the club’s long-term halfback.
“Without a doubt,” he said. “He looks in great shape. He had a smile. It was good to have a chat with him about footy.
“You’ve got to remember he’s young, so every time you speak to him, he looks more mature. There’s going to be a process of him growing up and I feel like he’s done a bit of that.
“All the good players have some setbacks and recover – and he’s one of them.”
As Walker and the Roosters prepare for their round-one clash with Brisbane in Las Vegas, Fittler will spend the next two weeks spruiking the game on home soil.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
The 51-year-old’s annual Hogs tour began on Friday, with Fittler set to ride a motorbike some 6000km to hold rugby league clinics and promote the game in regional towns.
Fittler, who undertook the first ride in 2013, will be joined along the way by rugby league figures including Preston Campbell, Luke Lewis, Emma Tonegato and Petero Civoniceva.
“We now get to go into Queensland, which could be unsafe, I’m not sure,” the former NSW coach joked.
“Hopefully (Petero) can save us in Queensland, with Ben Hannant and a few others as well.
“At the end of the day, it was always about getting kids invested in rugby league. It’s a nice way for the game to give before the craziness of the season starts.”
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Panthers pay for the use of the stadium that they use & always have done. With this, they could demand that the stadium not be used for anything else. Where as, they encourage different events at that stadium ( that’s been much the same since it opened in 1967. ) The stadium is not being rebuilt, just one stand. The rest is just getting a revamp. The stadium in Sydney has been rebuilt again, even though it wasn’t that bad. At Parramatta , the stadium was completely rebuilt for a second time. No half measures for them ! :thumbup: Obviously you didn’t know that the Panthers have always paid for the use of the stadium at Penrith. :laughing: ( Still No Billionaires doing whatever they like, backing Penrith ) By the way , Penrith paid for their own centre of excellence. The NRL refused to reimburse them for that. Yet paid a lot for Parramatta’s shiny new training ground, centre of excellence etc. Bet they put a fair bit into South’s new training facility, centre of excellence. They in fact pay for one for all other clubs.
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Love rugby league, as a player, fan and proud grandfather. But being an elite sportsman does not make anyone a hero in my eyes
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
"No Billionaires backing Penrith" Infrastructure NSW stumping up $300mill + for a stadium ? Broncos rent and share Lang Park, as do Dolphins, Reds and Roar
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Andrew Johns was an excellent player immediately, when he came into first grade . Just as he had showed that he would be before first grade. The Roosters bought an excellent young halfback, from Parramatta at Harold Matthews level now. ( What else is new , they always buy everyone else’s good players ! ) They didnt buy him to replace Keary as he’s too young now for that you’d think. Insurance for your freakish Andrew John’s ability halfback! :laughing:
Muzz Manyana
Roar Rookie
You'd be surprised just how many of your heroes take recreational d rugs. Wake up Max!
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
" freakish Andrew Johns like ability" who admitted he was on the pingers Nothing to aspire to
Poss
Roar Rookie
Totally agree with your first paragraph or the part of high expectations Mark…. Personally I thought Robbo was too hard on him last year but there may of been other reasons for his tough love…But I certainly hope they have him practising his goal kicking,but he was improving …
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Walker comes with baggage, two sets actually, who both think they know more about coaching NRL than Robbo, Uncle Wayne or Alf Langer, that's why he is not playing for the Broncos or Dolphins.
Muzz Manyana
Roar Rookie
Walker's D improved significantly at the back end of last season. He's a tough little bugger! Increasing his muscle mass over the next 2/3 seasons should also help.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Not defensively though !
Albo
Roar Rookie
Walker is a talented kid and game as all get out ! But he is a small body and he is easily targeted and gets hurt. He will be lucky to see the season out again, unless he builds himself up for the defensive work that will again be thrown at him. I'm sure that is where Cronk has had issues with him ?
Muzz Manyana
Roar Rookie
Early days! Walker is only 21. His ceiling is greater than Dearden's who I think is overrated. Walker show's glimpses of freakish Andrew Johns like ability.
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
The only way Walker is playing 7 for Qld post DCE if if Dearden retires
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Keary was a Premiership winner with South Sydney in 2014. That’s why the Roosters bought him. ( After he’d had a disagreement with Russell Crowe & decided to leave when a new contract was due ). He was the Clive Churchill Medal Winner in the Roosters Premiership winning team in 2018. Was part of the Roosters Premiership Winning team in 2019. He’s played for Australia . You certainly have an interesting way of looking at him as a player.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Sure you can.. Buy up a lot of the best players around. They are doing it again now. Pretty handy players in Smith, Leniu ,Young for example . It may come with good coaching no doubt . They didn’t see themselves winning the last couple of Premierships that they won. So they bought Cronk . Job done! :thumbup: Before anyone gives me grief about these comments. I didn’t start it ! :laughing:
Panthers
Roar Rookie
So you think that the unfair advantage given certain clubs by having Billionaires back them in any way they can , should not be allowed? That the extra money should be spread out evenly amongst all clubs? ( As we know , Laundy said that he’d do whatever’s necessary to get the players they want to the Bulldogs . Same would go for other club’s billionaire backers ). That clubs who are development clubs , should be paid an amount by other clubs. For each player that the development club has developed from the junior levels , that’s bought by other clubs? That’s not the end of it either. The Roosters, South’s etc buy up the supply of players from clubs in Queensland, Junior development schools. So shouldn’t be allowed? Can’t have it both ways & the middle Muzz. As far as Cleary goes. Penrith has supplied more halves to other clubs in recent seasons, than any other clubs. That’s just halves. So they aren’t entitled to keep one half, in Cleary? ( Couple of very good Penrith props at the Roosters next season too . You’re welcome yet again hey ! ) :laughing:
criag
Roar Rookie
You can't buy a premiership. As I've said before, the Roosters punch well over their weight in development, having been granted through no fault of their own a tiny area, and having a big chunk of area taken from them in the 1950s. Many of their GF teams have been full of players developed by them. One of those teams was the youngest in the comp and came last, but developed into a champion team. Walker himself has been developed by the Roosters for a few years. Pearce wasn't even dumped by the Roosters. They wanted him to stay and learn from the best, but his ego wouldn't allow it. (And he was another Rooster-developed player, btw). And if you think development stops at 16, you're dreamin'!
Mark Ferguson
Roar Rookie
We couldn’t afford him .
Mark Ferguson
Roar Rookie
Personally I think the expectations on Walker are a tad high as he’s only 21 years of age..Mark my words in 2 to 3 years he will be QLD number 7. Young players make young player mistakes and Cleary had Maloney to lean on in his early years if he has bad games and believe me he had them .Walker on the other hand only has Keary and Keary isn’t what Maloney was.
Muzz Manyana
Roar Rookie
Furthermore, I think a draft system should be introduced. Legislation should be adjusted so that if said player won't relocate, they don't play and have no legal leg to stand on. This is the only way to effectively even out the competition. I'm not having a dig at Penrith however having 12000 plus juniors coming through compared to 1000/2000 Juniors that so many other clubs have is arguably an unfair advantage. The results of the previous 3 seasons reflect that advantage. A draft system would go along way to fixing that imbalance of juniors coming through. Cleary to the Dolphins, JFH to the Tigers, Leota to the Sharks etc.