Teen gun Sam Walker ready to lace up his Sydney Roosters boots

Sam Walker turns 18 on Tuesday. The Sydney Roosters’ wealth of riches suddenly got richer.

Sydney Roosters recruit Sam Walker turns 18 on Tuesday and will be able to join his new teammates in their bubble.

Sam Walker turns 18 on Tuesday. The Sydney Roosters’ wealth of riches suddenly got richer. Walker is the teenage son of former Brisbane half Ben Walker and signed with the Roosters last year, after spending time with coach Trent Robinson and five-eighth Luke Keary.

The Roosters beat a host of NRL clubs as well as rugby union to secure Walker’s prized signature. The Broncos were among those bidding for his services but Walker eventually decided to uproot his life and move to Sydney, where he has been biding his time outside the Roosters bubble.

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He is now free to join his Roosters teammates on the inside, and is in contention to make a first grade debut at some point over the remaining weeks of the season.

Smart judges reckon he will get there sooner rather than later, although the Roosters are currently well served in the halfback department thanks to the presence of Kyle Flanagan.

They also have Lachlan Lam in their ranks, yet few expect Walker to be anything other than a star when he gets his chance, something that was confirmed when he led the Queensland under-18 team to a big win over their NSW counterparts last year.

Among Walker’s teammates then were Xavier Coates, the Broncos winger who terrorised Manly last week. Coates will turn his sights on Newcastle on Thursday night, although it is the match-up between youngsters Herbie Farnworth and Bradman Best that shapes as the most mouth-watering.

Farnworth is expected to play in the centres in place of Kotoni Staggs, who is facing at least four weeks on the sidelines after tearing his hamstring at training.

The Broncos are expected to make wholesale changes, including the introduction of Issac Luke on the interchange bench only days after he made the move from St George Illawarra to Brisbane.

Tevita Pangai and Alex Glenn will also return from suspension and injury, the pair coming straight into the starting side and providing some much-needed experience.