NRL 2021: Sydney Roosters explain why Sam Walker’s new deal is taking extra time

The Roosters can breathe easy after all. The real reason for Sam Walker’s contract delay can be revealed and it has nothing to do with approaches from other clubs.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 29: Sam Walker passes during a Sydney Roosters NRL training session at Kippax Lake on March 29, 2021 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Powerful Sydney Roosters chairman Nick Politis wants to get cracking on locking down a deal with teenage sensation Sam Walker in the next 10 days now that the Jack de Belin court case is reaching its final stages.

Walker and de Belin share the same management company that is headed by Steve Gillis and Clinton Schifcofske and that is understood to have been the main reason why Walker’s negotiations have stalled in recent weeks.

The Roosters have been waiting patiently as Gillis provided ongoing support to de Belin during the trial.

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Sam Walker has enjoyed a meteoric start to his NRL career.

But with the case now awaiting the jury’s verdict, the Roosters are ready to make Walker’s future their priority.

Despite Walker emerging as the hottest young playmaker in years with some phenomenal performances that has led many to suggest he has the potential to change the way the game is played, both parties are confident Walker won’t even consider listening to rival offers before securing his long-term future at Bondi.

It is understood Walker has not spoken to any rivals at this point and the expectation is he won’t.

While that might mean Walker could potentially cost himself plenty in the short term, the flip side is what he might forgo to stay playing at a strong club under Trent Robinson could also be the best investment he ever makes.

There is just no way the Roosters would be able to match the money Walker might receive elsewhere from more desperate clubs given they already have a lot of their salary cap locked up with other star players such as James Tedesco and Luke Keary.

But the fact is Walker and his family love everything about what the Roosters have done for him so far, and they also have complete trust in Robinson being the coach to take his career forward.

The Roosters hope to secure Sam Walker’s new contract in the next 10 days.

You also don’t have to look far around the NRL to find other young stars who gambled their careers on pocketing the big money early at battling clubs, but often those dreams don’t turn out as planned.

If Walker wanted to chase the money he could name his price at any number of rival clubs, potentially doubling if not tripling what he is now on.

It’s been reported Walker is currently on a $300,000-a-season deal which would make him just about the game’s lowest paid starting halfback. That deal expires at the end of this season.

To put this in perspective, News Corp’s Rich 100 last year had Luke Brooks on $600,000, Adam Reynolds $760,000, Shaun Johnson and Mitchell Pearce $800,000, Mitchell Moses $830,000, Corey Norman and Matt Moylan $850,000, Luke Keary $700,000 (but Keary has since got a substantial upgrade to a reported $900,000-plus), Anthony Milford and Nathan Cleary $1m, Ash Taylor $1.025m, Ben Hunt $1.2 and Day Cherry-Evans $1.25m.

Taking into account that off contract playmakers Reynolds and Moses also stand to pocket at least $800,000-a-season when they ink their new deals in the coming months further highlights what Walker could be worth if this was only about money.

In just five games, this 18-year-old has exposed not only a phenomenal skillset but a self belief and courage to back his game that separates him from just about every young playmaker to emerge in years if not decades.

Walker has impressed against some pretty impressive opposition.

Incredibly in five games he is already second overall in try assists and linebreak assists for the NRL this season behind only Penrith’s Jarome Luai.

Walker also set a Roosters record with five try assists against Newcastle last weekend and now has 12 for the season with Luai on 13 after eight games in total.

Walker also has 13 linebreak assists to Luai’s 14, while Walker has crossed for three tries in those five games so far.

Roosters confident of landing All Blacks star

- Fatima Kdouh

A spate of serious injuries at Bondi has Sydney Roosters stars Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Joesph Manu more “keen” than ever to see All Blacks star TJ Perenara make a shock code switch to rugby league.

Coach Trent Robinson is expecting Perenara, 29, to make a decision about joining the Tricolours in the coming days.

A chat with Sonny Bill Williams, who is also Perenara’s former All Blacks teammate, in a Melbourne hotel ahead of a recent clash against the Storm has left Waerea-Hargreaves hopeful Perenara will join the Roosters in 2021.

“In Melbourne, Sonny stayed at our hotel and I just sort of said ‘is he coming?’,” Waerea-Hargreaves said.

TJ Perenara is expected to make a decision on a code switch this week.

“He (Sonny) reckons he is good mates with TJ and he thinks he’s close, possibly. But for us we would love to have a guy of his calibre amongst our squad, especially now with the injuries.”

Perenara was first sounded out after a crisis in the Roosters hooking stocks.

Sam Verrills, who is the Roosters long-term hooking option, has since returned from an ACL injury but Freddy Lussick is still out with an arm injury and concussion issues have forced veteran rake Jake Friend into retirement.

Winger Brett Morris and forward Lindsay Collins have also joined the casualty ward, which also included Luke Keary, Lachlan Lam and Boyd Cordner, after suffering ACL injuries in Saturday’s 38-4-win over Newcastle.

The loss of players in key positions has centre Joseph Manu looking forward to Perenara’s arrival and the experience a player with 64 Test match appearances for the All Blacks will add to the squad.

“It would be pretty cool. I don’t know how he goes in league but he is a really good rugby player, an All Black,” Manu said.

Ardie Savea (left) is also considering an NRL switch.

For Manu and Wearea-Hargreaves, who were both raised in rugby-mad New Zealand, seeing Test stars like Perenara and All Blacks superstar Ardie Savea consider switching to the NRL is further proof of rugby league’s growing stature across the ditch.

“It would be pretty good to see him (Savea) in rugby league, too. He’s a strong ball runner, if he comes over here it would be pretty good to see how he goes. It’s exciting for NRL fans to see All Blacks wanting to come here to give it a crack,” Manu said.

Wearea-Hargreaves challenged New Zealand’s best rugby players to test themselves in the NRL.

“Super keen to get those players in our game for sure,” Waerea-Hargreaves said.

“They are such talented players, doing it for so long in rugby union but you want to see that talent come and give it a crack over here for sure.

“I think those players would be unreal... come on over and have a crack.”

Originally published as NRL 2021: Sydney Roosters explain why Sam Walker’s new deal is taking extra time