Sam Walker is not a Million dollar Player

[ConGa]

there's always opportunities in crisis, the support and care provided by the club during this time will probably help swaying his decision to resign

[ARD]

Feel for the kid. Less so, but still feel for us as fans. He was running into excellent form and starting to dominate games. Awful setback. Footy gods be damned.

[weplayforprems]

Feel for the kid. Less so, but still feel for us as fans. He was running into excellent form and starting to dominate games. Awful setback. Footy gods be damned.

Even fans that hate us are gutted. He’s just one of the more interesting players to watch and the finals were set up for him to shine

[weplayforprems]

1.5 million is over the top

I feel he will test the market as there would a few after him - possibly up to 8 other clubs

Dragons
Souths
Knights
Manly
Broncos
Warriors
Titans
Raiders


Parra - Moses
Sharks - Hynes
Wests Tigers - Galvin/Luai
Dolphins - Katoa
Penrith - Cleary
Storm - Hughes
Cowboys - Clifford
Dogs - Sexton

Realistically the Broncos and Manly are the only dangers. And they’re only dangers if they take options to release other high profile big earners.

[Rooster1908]

Sam must resign with us .He doesn't have a leg to stand on.

[Horry]

NRL 2024: Sydney Roosters vow to honour Sam Walker offer despite ACL injury | Market watch

]The Sydney Roosters have vowed to honour the two-year deal they have already tabled to Sam Walker as they brace to be without their star half for the opening months of next year.

Walker, who has 12 months left on his existing contract, has been locked in negotiations with the Roosters over a new deal as the club looks to keep him out of the clutches of their rivals.

The club had weighed in with an extension worth upwards of $1.8 million in a sign of how keen they are to retain the 22-year-old, who has taken his game to another level this season.

That deal, which would ensure he remained a Roosters player until the end of 2027, remains on the table and the club has no plans to remove it even though Walker suffered a knee injury at the weekend that brought a premature end to this season.

The Roosters confirmed on Monday afternoon that Walker had ruptured his left ACL and would undergo reconstructive surgery later this week, meaning he will be sidelined for the opening months of next season.

While some rival clubs may have opted to put talks on hold given the situation - or potentially withdraw their offer - the Roosters remain determined to keep Walker at the club for the foreseeable future.

Sources confirmed on Monday afternoon that they remain committed to retaining him and there were no plans to pull their offer.

Walker has been a fixture in the side this season, making 21 appearances and contributing 21 try assists and 16 line break assists.

After spending time in lower grades in recent seasons, he has taken charge of the Roosters attack and helped them become the most prolific side in the competition.

Their challenge now is to find a way forward without a player who has been at the heart of everything good they have done in 2024.

Luke Keary is set to take on significantly more responsibility while coach Trent Robinson must decide whether to use Joey Manu or Sandon Smith in the halves.

Former South Sydney coach Jason Demetriou believes the Roosters need to pick their best defensive side, which would likely mean that Manu moves to the halves - they should get Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii back from injury this week while Billy Smith and Robert Toia have returned in recent weeks.

The Roosters also have rugby union convert Mark Nawaqanitawase up their sleeve.

“I think you play your best defensive team,” Demetriou said on Triple M’s Monday Scrum.

“They have points out there …. but you have to defend well. If Manu at six gives them a better defensive option, that is probably the better way to go.

“These guys, they are season pros. They know how to adapt. The beauty they have got is they have a week this week against Souths to see what they want it to look like.

“At least you have another round to get that right before the finals.”

[Fishwa]

I think its a no brainer they stick by Sam for 2025 and beyond - still young enough to recover from the injury, keeping in mind that every player that does his ACL takes a good 6-9 months once they start playing to then get back to his best, but he is on track to be the next QLD half back, and worth the 'risk'.

However, with this happening on Sunday, and him basically gone for most of 2025 - considering the rumors coming out of the Dragons and vision of Flanagan / Hunt - id throw the book at Hunt for a 12-month contract at the Roosters - makes a lot of sense, and considering how dry the market is we could pay overs for him for a year and then focus on other positions for 2026

thoughts?

[Steggles]

If Sammy isn’t locked up by November, I reckon we should enter the race for Wishart to hedge our bets. As much as I’d love to see Sam stay with us, a halves pairing of Sandon Smith and Wishart wouldn’t be too shabby at all.

[Rooster1908]

If Sammy isn’t locked up by November, I reckon we should enter the race for Wishart to hedge our bets. As much as I’d love to see Sam stay with us, a halves pairing of Sandon Smith and Wishart wouldn’t be too shabby at all.

Agree . Wishart looks like he will be a great asset but dont think Bellyache will be letting him go.

[A Country Member]

The other potential suitors for Sam’s services would have to make a very courageous call to offer such big money for an injured player.

I wonder if that contributed to Sam’s pain when he was walking off, the $500kpa he could be missing?

[Archelon]

As much as I'd love Sam to stay, I can't justify a $1.5M price tag as reported in NRL360 today.. no freakin way.
If that's true, unfortunately it comes through as him being greedy.. which is unfortunate because he didn't give me that impression.

[Steakface]

I think its a no brainer they stick by Sam for 2025 and beyond - still young enough to recover from the injury, keeping in mind that every player that does his ACL takes a good 6-9 months once they start playing to then get back to his best, but he is on track to be the next QLD half back, and worth the 'risk'.

However, with this happening on Sunday, and him basically gone for most of 2025 - considering the rumors coming out of the Dragons and vision of Flanagan / Hunt - id throw the book at Hunt for a 12-month contract at the Roosters - makes a lot of sense, and considering how dry the market is we could pay overs for him for a year and then focus on other positions for 2026

thoughts?

Sticking with Sam Walker? Is that even a question?

A bit shocking Chook Penners would ask it.

Elite halves these days come along once in a blue moon. Walker has definitely shown enough for a $1 mill + per year contract, and once he hits his prime he will be better than the likes of Cherry Evans.

Who else would you go for?

Hunt? LOL. Fantastic player, but with Townsend coming are you actually suggesting two ring-in's in the halves next year both on one year deals? Insanity, and it won't happen.
Moses? Talented, but divisive and inconsistent + brings the Issac Moses circus with him. Not available for 3 years anyhow.
Hynes? Signed at the Sharks for 5 more years
Cleary? Will be a Panther till he dies or the old man quits, which is years away
Reynolds? He is done - held together with sticky tape at this point.
Hughes? Will be at the Storm 4 more years

Now beyond that, have you considered which other high quality halves there are floating about? I'm telling you right now, the answer is there aren't any.

The NRL community would laugh their assess off - and rightfully so - if the question of not resigning Walker was even casually raised by our club.

Thankfully it won't happen and he'll stay. I think our club will match anything else another club will table, within reason.

[Chook2]

Walker could be anything
his value may climb if our attack falls to shit again without him failing to score tries
it would be a travesty to loose him, bigger then RTS, Manu and Latrell
I think he will stay and this acl will allow us to get him for less and he focuses on rehab on the knee and getting back on the field June next season

[Roosters1908]

From all the snippets I’ve read, the $1.5 million was the asking price, which I took to mean that with our offer, the final negotiated price would be somewhere in between. I also seem to recall reading (maybe somewhere here?) that right before his injury they were close to an agreement. I hope we don’t low-ball him now, because we’ve truly only scratched the surface with what he can do for us.

[milanja]

From all the snippets I’ve read, the $1.5 million was the asking price, which I took to mean that with our offer, the final negotiated price would be somewhere in between. I also seem to recall reading (maybe somewhere here?) that right before his injury they were close to an agreement. I hope we don’t low-ball him now, because we’ve truly only scratched the surface with what he can do for us.

Definitely a fan of Sam, but regardless of his progression, at this point in time, 1.2 would be the most I’d pay.

he doesn’t have a long kicking game, game management isn’t a strong point, and he is such a big target in defence.(gutsy, and has a good technique, just too small)

all these things will improve, but to lay out 1.5mil is way overs.