Roosters axe Sam Walker in stunning Anzac Day move: Round 8 NRL Teams

Pre-season NRL favourites the Sydney Roosters have made an enormous call, dropping one of the NRL’s brightest young talents.

Walker has been given the flick by the Roosters. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

The Sydney Roosters have swung the axe on young halfback Sam Walker, dropping the 20-year-old to reserve grade.

Instead, the Roosters will move Joseph Manu to five-eighth and Luke Keary from No. 6 to No. 7 for Tuesday’s Anzac Day clash with the St George Illawarra Dragons.

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After suffering two straight losses to the Melbourne Storm and Cronulla Sharks, Roosters coach Trent Robinson has made the call to drop the 20-year-old prodigy.

Walker has been with the Roosters since 2019 when he signed a deal worth a reported $300,000 at the age of 16.

The son of former Broncos halfback Ben Walker and nephew of former Queensland Origin speedster Chris Walker, Sam debuted in 2021, with that season’s Dally M Rookie of the Year gong and has since become the Roosters’ No. 1 goalkicker.

He also re-signed with the Roosters until 2025 late last year. There has even been talk he could crack the Origin arena for Queensland in coming seasons.

But the pre-season premiership favourites are 3-3 for the season, having also had one of their byes to sit ninth on the NRL ladder.

The club is still second in premiership betting behind the Panthers.

The Roosters have been struggling to get going in 2023 with Walker having only delivered two try assists in his six games this season.

However, only Keary with four try assists and Joseph Suaalii and James Tedesco with three a piece have laid on multiple tries for the Roosters.

Remarkably, after six matches, the Roosters have scored only 106 points at an average of 17.7 points per game, which is good enough for only 13th in the NRL.

Walker is out. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

However, in good news for the Roosters, Angus Crichton is set make his season debut after missing the start of the year getting treatment following his bipolar disorder diagnosis.

THURSDAY APRIL 20

7.50pm: South Sydney Rabbitohs Vs Penrith Panthers @ Accor Stadium

Rabbitohs: 1. Latrell Mitchell 2. Alex Johnston 3. Isaiah Tass 4. Campbell Graham 5. Izaac Tu’itupou Thompson 6. Cody Walker 7. Lachlan Ilias 8. Jai Arrow 9. Damien Cook 10. Thomas Burgess 11. Michael Chee Kam 12. Jacob Host 13. Cameron Murray

Interchange: 14. Jed Cartwright 15. Daniel Suluka-Fifita 16. Hame Sele 17. Davvy Moale

Reserves: 18. Taane Milne 19. Blake Taaffe 20. Josiah Karapani 21. Ben Lovett 22. Tallis Duncan

Panthers: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Izack Tago 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Brian To’o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. Matt Eisenhuth 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Zac Hosking 13. Isaah Yeo

Interchange: 14. Soni Luke 15. Lindsay Smith 16. Spencer Leniu 17. Jaeman Salmon

Reserves: 18. Luke Garner 19. Eddie Blacker 20. Liam Henry 21. Jack Cogger 22. Tyrone Peachey

FRIDAY APRIL 21

8pm: Parramatta Eels Vs Brisbane Broncos @ TIO Stadium

Eels: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Maika Sivo 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Sean Russell 5. Haze Dunster 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Josh Hodgson 10. Junior Paulo 11. Shaun Lane 12. Bryce Cartwright 13. Ryan Matterson

Interchange: 14. J’maine Hopgood 15. Brendan Hands 16. Wiremu Greig 17. Matt Doorey

Reserves: 18. Jakob Arthur 19. Jack Murchie 20. Makahesi Makatoa 21. Bailey Simonsson 22. Daejarn Asi

Broncos: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Corey Oates 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Selwyn Cobbo 6. Ezra Mam 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Thomas Flegler 9. Billy Walters 10. Payne Haas 11. Kurt Capewell 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan

Interchange: 14. Cory Paix 15. Corey Jensen 16. Kobe Hetherington 17. Martin Taupau

Reserves: 18. Jesse Arthars 19. Keenan Palasia 20. Jock Madden 21. Brendan Piakura 22. Deine Mariner

Corey Oates is back for Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston

SATURDAY APRIL 22

5.30pm: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks @Accor Stadium

Bulldogs: 1. Hayze Perham 2. Declan Casey 3. Jake Averillo 4. Paul Alamoti 5. Braidon Burns 6. Kyle Flanagan 7. Matt Burton 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Tevita Pangai Junior 11. Corey Waddell 12. Jacob Preston 13. Raymond Faitala-Mariner

Interchange: 14. Josh Reynolds 15. Jayden Okunbor 16. Andrew Davey 17. Ryan Sutton

Reserves: 19. Karl Oloapu 20. Jackson Topine 21. Samuel Hughes 22. Jeral Skelton 23. Reece Hoffman

Sharks: 1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Siosifa Talakai 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Matt Moylan 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Oregon Kaufusi 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Braden Hamlin-Uele 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes

Interchange: 14. Wade Graham 15. Jack Williams 16. Royce Hunt 17. Thomas Hazelton

Reserves: 18. Braydon Trindall 19. Connor Tracey 20. Tuku Hau Tapuha 21. Mawene Hiroti 22. Jayden Berrell

7.35pm: North Queensland Cowboys Vs Newcastle Knights @ Queensland Country Bank Stadium

Cowboys: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Peta Hiku 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Chad Townsend 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Coen Hess 11. Jack Gosiewski 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Reuben Cotter

Interchange: 14. Tomas Chester 15. Jake Granville 16. Jamayne Taunoa-Brown 17. Mitchell Dunn

Reserves: 18. Riley Price 19. Ben Hampton 20. Brendan Elliot 21. Taniela Sadrugu 22. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki

Knights: 1. Lachlan Miller 2. Dominic Young 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Kalyn Ponga 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Daniel Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 13. Kurt Mann

Interchange: 14. Tyson Gamble 15. Jacob Saifiti 16. Mathew Croker 17. Jack Hetherington

Reserves: 18. Simi Sasagi 19. Hymel Hunt 20. Jack Johns 21. Dylan Lucas 22. Adam Clune

Kalyn Ponga is back. Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

SUNDAY APRIL 23

2pm: Dolphins Vs Gold Coast Titans @ Suncorp Stadium

Dolphins: 1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Euan Aitken 4. Brenko Lee 5. Robert Jennings 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Herman Ese’ese 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Connelly Lemuelu 13. Tom Gilbert

Interchange: 14. Jarrod Wallace 15. Mark Nicholls 16. Ray Stone 17. Kurt Donoghoe

Reserves: 18. JJ Collins 19. Poasa Faamausili 20. Edrick Lee 21. Mason Teague 22. Valynce Te Whare

Titans: 1. Jayden Campbell 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. Brian Kelly 4. Phillip Sami 5. Jojo Fifita 6. Kieran Foran 7. Tanah Boyd 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Chris Randall 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 11. David Fifita 12. Joe Stimson 13. Isaac Liu

Interchange: 14. Kruise Leeming 15. Erin Clark 16. Thomas Mikaele 17. Klese Haas

Reserves: 18. Jo Vuna 19. Keano Kini 20. Thomas Weaver 21. AJ Brimson 22. Sam McIntyre

4.05pm: Wests Tigers Vs Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles @ Campbelltown Sports Stadium

Tigers: 1. Jahream Bula 2. Charlie Staines 3. Starford To’a 4. Asu Kepaoa 5. Junior Tupou 6. Brandon Wakeham 7. Luke Brooks 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. David Klemmer 11. Isaiah Papali’i 12. John Bateman 13. Fonua Pole

Interchange: 14. Daine Laurie 15. Joe Ofahengaue 16. Alex Twal 17. Tommy Talau

Reserves: 18. Alex Seyfarth 19. Shawn Blore 20. Justin Matamua 21. David Nofoaluma 22. Jake Simpkin

Sea Eagles: 1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Jason Saab 3. Brad Parker 4. Morgan Harper 5. Reuben Garrick 6. Josh Schuster 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Taniela Paseka 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Jake Trbojevic 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Ethan Bullemor 13. Josh Aloiai

Interchange: 14. Samuela Fainu 15. Sean Keppie 16. Aaron Woods 17. Toafofoa Sipley

Reserves: 18. Cooper Johns 19. Kaeo Weekes 20. Ben Condon 21. Gordon Chan Kum Tong 22. Christian Tuipulotu

Dolphins hitman Felise Kaufusi is back. Picture: NRL Imagery

TUESDAY APRIL 25 (ANZAC DAY)

4pm: Sydney Roosters Vs St George Illawarra Dragons @ Allianz Stadium

Roosters: 1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Joseph Suaalii 4. Paul Momirovski 5. Jaxson Paulo 6. Joseph Manu 7. Luke Keary 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Egan Butcher 12. Angus Crichton 13. Victor Radley

Interchange: 14. Drew Hutchison 15. Terrell May 16. Sitili Tupouniua 17. Matthew Lodge

Reserves: 18. Corey Allan 19. Nathan Brown 20. Naufahu Whyte 21. Jake Turpin 22. Sam Walker

Dragons: 1. Tyrell Sloan 2. Mathew Feagai 3. Moses Suli 4. Zac Lomax 5. Tautau Moga 6. Talatau Amone 7. Ben Hunt 8. Zane Musgrove 9. Moses Mbye 10. Blake Lawrie 11. Ben Murdoch-Masila 12. Jack Bird 13. Jack de Belin

Interchange: 14. Jacob Liddle 15. Michael Molo 16. Toby Couchman 17. Josh Kerr

Reserves: 18. Jaiyden Hunt 19. Max Feagai 20. Jayden Sullivan 21. Billy Burns 22. Viliami Fifita

7pm: Melbourne Storm Vs New Zealand Warriors @ AAMI Park

Storm: 1. Nick Meaney 2. William Warbrick 3. Reimis Smith 4. Justin Olam 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 9. Harry Grant 10. Christian Welch 11. Trent Loiero 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Josh King

Interchange: 14. Bronson Garlick 15. Alec MacDonald 16. Tom Eisenhuth 17. Tariq Sims

Reserves: 18. Grant Anderson 19. Aaron Pene 20. Tyran Wishart 21. Jonah Pezet 22. Jack Howarth

Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Marcelo Montoya 4. Adam Pompey 5. Edward Kosi 6. Dylan Walker 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Freddy Lussick 10. Jazz Tevaga 11. Jackson Ford 12. Marata Niukore 13. Tohu Harris

Interchange: 14. Bayley Sironen 15. Josh Curran 16. Bunty Afoa 17. Tom Ale

Reserves: 18. Viliami Vailea 20. Taine Tuaupiki 21. Ronald Volkman 22. Demitric Sifakula 23. Zyon Maiu’u