Sam Walker comment delivers dagger to Broncos as Roosters confirm new deal for NRL halfback

Sam Walker has committed his long-term future to the Roosters, agreeing to a two-year extension with the Bondi club on Monday. Previously linked with a return home to Brisbane, Walker's new two-year deal was announced only days after the player market opened on November 1, with the halfback penning a new deal to remain at the club until at least the end of 2027.

The 22-year-old is expected to miss a significant part of the 2025 campaign with an anterior cruciate ligament injury he suffered in the penultimate round of the 2024 regular season. However, Walker is seen as vital to the Roosters maintaining their status as premiership heavyweights and therefore the club were keen to tie him down to a new deal.

"I'm really happy to be extending with the Roosters. This club feels like home and I'm grateful for the support of 'Robbo' (coach Trent Robinson), my teammates and all the staff," Walker said. "I'm looking forward to getting back to training later this month so I can keep working hard on my rehab and play my role for the team."

But the agreement and the comment about the Roosters feeling like home will be a dagger to the heart of many Broncos fans who hoped Walker could be tempted to come home to Brisbane. Walker grew up a fanatic Broncos fan and the Brisbane side even had a chance to sign Walker in 2019. However, a petty move saw him land at the Tri Colours. In 2019, Walker was still studying and had to be given permission to postpone an end-of-year exam so he could attend a meeting with the Broncos about potentially joining the club.

Broncos fumbled opportunity to sign Sam Walker as teen

Bizarrely Brisbane asked for the teenager's parents not to be present at the meeting and because he didn't have a provisional driver's license, Walker was made to take a $60 Uber from Ipswich to Red Hill. While on the flip side, the Roosters went out of their way to give him and his family the VIP treatment. Billionaire Roosters chairman Nick Politis flew Walker and his parents to Sydney for meetings with coach Trent Robinson and they were far more accomodating to the teenage star.

And as reported by The Courier Mail at the time, it was the environment at the Roosters that led Walker to ultimately snub the Broncos to join the Roosters. "I’ve made up my mind," Walker reportedly told his father Ben on the way home from the meeting with the Broncos. "I’m signing with the Roosters." He later added: "I wanted to go to a club where I could play my best football. I felt there were people at the Roosters, like Trent Robinson, who were there to support me." However, Broncos fans had hoped he could still make the move to Red Hill to join the club he supported growing up but instead, Walker will remain a Rooster for at least another three years.

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Sam Walker signing comes after decision to let Terrell May go

Walker's signing news comes days after the Roosters made the shock call to grant another of their star players, prop Terrell May, permission to negotiate with rival clubs. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Joey Manu, Joseph Suaalii and Luke Keary are among key Roosters players to have already left the club following the preliminary final loss to Melbourne.

And therefore it was thought that the Tri Colours had plenty of room in their salary cap and would be eager to hang onto their other players. However, the club made the shock decision to make May surplus to requirements. Roosters stars including James Tedesco, Brandon Smith and Egan Butcher are entering the last year of their deals and could all command hefty contracts.

with AAP