‘Catastrophic’ Sam Walker, Brandon Smith disasters leave Roosters in ruins

The Sydney Roosters’ premiership hopes have been dealt a massive blow after disastrous injuries to two of their most important stars.

The Sydney Roosters’ premiership hopes have taken a massive hit after halfback Sam Walker left the field 13 minutes into Sunday’s clash with Canberra with what appeared to be a serious knee injury.

And it just got worse when Brandon Smith was helped from the field two minutes from halftime after a tackle that was deemed a hip drop from Elliott Whitehead left the hooker in agony.

To make matters worse, the Roosters also lost Victor Radley to an AC joint shoulder injury and Nat Butcher to a HIA, meaning he’ll likely miss next week’s final round match as they fell 14-12 to the Raiders in a heartstopping finish.

But while the loss hits the Roosters’ chance of a top two finish, the much more pressing issue is the injury carnage with only one round left before the finals.

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A bouncing ball in the in-goal led to a relatively innocuous moment where Walker slumped to the ground in agony, clutching his heavily strapped left knee.

It was a horror sight for the Roosters on the eve of the finals, after the 22-year-old Walker suffered a partially torn ACL in a NSW Cup match last year.

While it appeared as though it would be season-ending at the time, Walker returned for the latter stages of the Roosters’ season, playing in the final rounds and their two finals matches before the side was eliminated by the Storm.

Sunday’s injury happened when he planted his left leg with seemingly no contact.

Fox League’s Cooper Cronk didn’t have news Roosters fans would want to hear.

“When the knee collapses like that with no contact, normally it’s an ACL, but we’re yet to determine that,” Cronk said.

“He does not look like he’s in good shape at all.”

Walker was not in a good way. Photo: Fox Sports

It was an innocuous incident. Photo: Fox Sports

Walker was in agony. Photo: Fox Sports

Warren Smith added Walker looked “absolutely distraught”, saying “maybe their premiership chances have been dealt a cruel blow potentially”.

Fox’s sideline reporter Eloise Sohier said that as he was walking past her position on the sideline: “I heard him say to the medicos assisting him he heard a crack or a pop.”

Later, Sohier said the Roosters had confirmed his day was over.

“From the Roosters camp, they’ve said it was quite serious, he’ll be sent for scans, he won’t return today. As for the extent of exactly what it is, they’re not quite sure on that just yet,” Sohier added.

At halftime, the Roosters confirmed it was a suspected ACL injury.

Then Smith’s injury added another headache for the Roosters after Whitehead appeared to slide around the legs of the hooker into a hip drop.

Making it even worse for the Roosters is that the tackle came after referee Todd Smith had called time off.

Smith had dived on a free ball and tried to get up and take off again, but the referee had ruled it was a surrender tackle.

Whitehead was sin binned for the incident.

That was ugly. Photo: Fox Sports

Brandon Smith didn't look good. Photo: Fox Sports

At halftime, Braith Anasta said it was a “devastating first half”, later adding it was a “massacre”.

“This is huge,” Anasta added. “With the finals only a week away, with the Roosters one of the favourites to win this premiership, this is absolutely catastrophic.”

As for Smith, Anasta said “this looked worse”.

Alexander said “you could see the knee bend on the inside”.

Shortly after play resumed, Sohier said it was a syndesmosis high ankle injury, but with 20 minutes left in the match, it was revealed that it may be a medial ligament injury in his knee, which would essentially end his season.

“Sam Walker and Brandon Smith in doubt for the rest of the season is a mortal blow for the Roosters,” Alexander added.

Asked if the Roosters could still win the premiership without Walker and Smith, Alexander said “it makes it very tough”.

Despite the carnage, the Roosters took the match right down to the wire, with Luke Keary kicking for Daniel Tupou with seconds left in the match to make it 14-12.

It left part-time kicker Keary needing to convert from the sideline, but he hooked it to the left, handing the Raiders the win and leaving their paper thin finals chances still alive.

The Raiders need a win against the Dragons and a draw between the Knights and Dolphins to play the finals.

Originally published as ‘Catastrophic’ Sam Walker, Brandon Smith disasters leave Roosters in ruins