Sam Walker, after a long stint on the sidelines, believes it would be “ridiculous” if he was forced to spend more time on them.
Walker played his first game since September of last year, after overcoming ACL and thumb injuries.
In the space of 70 minutes - he was sin-binned for a cannonball tackle on David Klemmer - the halfback showed enough glimpses of both rust and class to raise further questions about whether the Roosters really require the services of Daly Cherry-Evans.
Sam Walker is sent to the sin bin.Credit: Getty Images
In a free-flowing encounter that at times resembled a touch footy match, the Roosters hung on for a 31-24 victory against St George Illawarra at Jubilee Stadium.
The Walker incident will be scrutinised by the match review committee, which handed the last cannonball culprit - Cowboy Karl Lawton - a grade-three charge and the three-match ban that comes with it. Anything harsher than a grade-one will result in a week on the sidelines.
“It didn’t feel bad at all, I’ve made that tackle a million times and it’s never been a penalty,” Walker said.
“This time, obviously the fact that I hit him on his booty, and obviously he went down, the people coming over the top of me didn’t make it look pretty, but I’m not going in with intent to try and chop out his knees or anything like that.
“I personally think it’s a bit ridiculous but I undersetand the safety of the player. But there’s not a world where I’m trying to hurt David Klemmer in a tackle like that.”
Roosters coach Trent Robinson added: “Obviously you can’t do that, but I feel that’s a pretty heavy price for the lowest contact you could possibly put on a tackle,” said Roosters coach Trent Robinson.
“There was no force in that tackle at all, it was like the old school-yard, kneel-down behind them and push them over, type thing. It’s something we don’t want to see, but there’s no force in that.
“We’ve had guys out for six weeks with MCLs with no penalties, and all of a sudden we get a sin bin for that. I was surprised with that ... 10 minutes is a big price for that force, and no injury.”
The match was played in front of members of the 2010 Dragons line-up, as part of 15-year anniversary celebrations of their grand final victory. Their premiership-winning success was based on defence, something neither side was particularly interested in at Kogarah.
Roosters winger Daniel Tupou scored a double, as did the Red V’s Sione Finau. Another flanker, Tyrell Sloan, also bagged a meat pie. The latter at one point tried to pick a fight with Lindsay Collins, raising more questions about the footy smarts of those in his position.
Why do wingers score so many tries? Because they are marked by other wingers.
Some of their touchdowns were the result of good inside play, others due to poor edge defence.
Tyrell Sloan scores for the Dragons.Credit: Getty Images
“Our effort, attitude is all there, just sometimes a little bit of execution lets us down,” said Dragons coach Shane Flanagan.
“The thing that cost us today was the start to the first half, we gifted them two tries. In the end, that’s the game. …
“We can’t give any team, let alone the Roosters, 12 points head start in the game.”
Walker was involved in many of the game’s key moments. There was his field goal, which proved crucial, just on the stroke of half-time. There was also a lovely short ball to set up Billy Smith, which was counterbalanced by a drop ball and a poor missed tackle on Jaydn Su’A that invited the hosts back into the contest.
However, the Roosters defended slightly better for slightly longer to move, at least temporarily, into the top eight.