‘He’s getting close’: Sam Walker return put on hold as Roosters prepare for mini finals series

The Roosters are about to start a mini three-week finals series just to qualify for the top eight, but they’ll have to do it without a key player on Friday night.

Sam Walker has increased his training workload but he won’t be rushed back into the NRL side this week. Picture; NRL Photos

Roosters coach Trent Robinson has confirmed young half Sam Walker won’t be rushed back for Friday’s must-win game against Parramatta, with the playmaker set to get some more match fitness under his belt in the NSW Cup.

Walker hasn’t featured in the NRL since round 7 before he was dropped to reserve grade where he played a couple of games and then suffered a sprained ACL that kept him sidelined for more than three months.

He made a successful return for the Bears last week and is expected to play for them again this weekend in what should be a great test against Penrith.

Walker was named on an extended bench for the game against the Eels but his coach wants to take a cautious approach, especially given Drew Hutchison did such a good job last week in the win over the Dolphins.

Sam Walker has spent time in reserve grade this year but the Roosters are adamant he remains the club’s long-term halfback. Picture: Damian Shaw

“He came back and only really started training last week,” Robinson said, reiterating that Walker is the club’s long-term halfback.

“That decision around whether to play him or not, I just needed another week from him playing, but he’s getting close.

“He’s getting close to almost full training with us, so we’ll get there over the next week.

“He had a good outing last week, but he’s had four months out and then he trained last week fully, and then he trained part of Wednesday’s session, so it’s about getting time in his legs and getting him back on point because we do need him to nail it on Sunday again before he’s fully ready to come back into the NRL.”

Walker will have to watch on as the Roosters tackle the Eels in what is essentially an elimination game, with the losers knocked out of finals contention.

The Roosters play the Wests Tigers next week and then finish with the Rabbitohs, with all three games non-negotiables due to their poor for and against.

The Roosters have looked a lot better in recent weeks and remain a chance of playing finals footy if they win their remaining games. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

The pre-season premiership favourites haven’t lived up to the hype this year with their attack failing to fire due to a number of significant injuries, but they’re still in with a chance and have started to look good with a far more settled backline.

Coach Trent Robinson says it’s all about taking it one week at a time, while veteran playmaker Luke Keary says he hasn’t even looked at a ladder that could change significantly this round with several crucial fixtures between teams in a logjam fighting for the final few spots in the top eight.

“I haven’t looked at the mathematics of it, but we’ve just got to win,” Keary said, confident his side is doing more than simply playing the role of spoilers.

“Hopefully, we win these three games and then whatever needs to happen, hopefully it happens.”