The Roosters are set to commence extension talks with star halfback Sam Walker and his management once he gets through an Origin campaign that will push his market value well past $1 million a season.
After Panthers star and NSW rival Nathan Cleary, Walker is the most accomplished No.7 coming off-contract in 2027, when a new NRL broadcast deal is expected to bump up salary caps and player values by as much as 20 per cent.
Walker and the club are yet to discuss his long-term future ahead of November 1, when rival outfits can present formal offers to the Maroons No.7.
Both the Roosters and Walker’s preference is to sit down after the Origin III decider on July 8, where the 24-year-old is in with a strong shot at claiming the Wally Lewis Medal for player of the series if he can steer Queensland to victory.
Walker currently earns a reported $900,000 a year but has driven his asking price – in a market inflated by the addition expansion clubs Perth and PNG – up beyond the million-dollar mark with two superb performances at the Maroons scrumbase.
As well as claiming man-of-the-match honours and booting eight goals from as many attempts in Origin II, Walker was the best player on the field in game one until Kalyn Ponga was sent off and Cleary led a record NSW comeback.
Walker will play his 100th NRL game against his old junior club Brisbane on Friday night, with his playmaking prime still well ahead of him.
“I think it’s been great to watch him play and perform [in Origin] it comes with a passion for how he likes to play the game,” Roosters coach Trent Robinson said on Thursday.
“I loved how he came back [from Queensland duty] last week. He had a really good game two and then came back [with] that focus again for us and then the experience that he gets is invaluable.”
The fact the Roosters are yet to open negotiations with their halfback has raised eyebrows in NRL circles, though Walker has repeatedly dead-batted questions around his future given he has 18 months left on his contract.
Asked last week about his market value soaring on the back of his Origin efforts, Walker said: “I haven’t had a single thought about it. I’ve still got a fair bit of time left at the Roosters and, fingers crossed, longer.”
Walker identified his own return to club football after Origin as a learning curve, having followed up his Queensland debut with the Roosters’ underwhelming 18-4 loss to Melbourne a month ago.
He was one of seven NSW and Queensland representatives to back up for the Roosters after Origin II, and performed strongly in Sunday’s impressive 27-8 win over Cronulla.
Robinson has named a full-strength team to face the Broncos given his side have their third and final bye of the season afterwards.
Skipper James Tedesco suffered a badly broken nose against the Sharks, but played on through the injury and is in no doubt for Friday night’s clash at Suncorp.
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