We need to talk about Sam

[Vasco]

I guess negotiations become a bit harder when the salary cap hasn't been even confirmed for next season

What a joke that is.

[Kelby]

Bumped into Sam last night at the Ipswich touch footy. He was helping the kids out and signing stuff, etc.
I asked him about the chooks, and he said he would be there for the next 2 years at least.
I said what about playing back up here for the broncos and he said with a big smile on his face "I'm a Queenslander, so yeah I'd love to return:

[Mickie Lane]

Bumped into Sam last night at the Ipswich touch footy. He was helping the kids out and signing stuff, etc.
I asked him about the chooks, and he said he would be there for the next 2 years at least.
I said what about playing back up here for the broncos and he said with a big smile on his face "I'm a Queenslander, so yeah I'd love to return:

That’s not good news is it.
I would hate for the Chooks to get him to the top level & then he leaves.

[Thirteen]

Bumped into Sam last night at the Ipswich touch footy. He was helping the kids out and signing stuff, etc.
I asked him about the chooks, and he said he would be there for the next 2 years at least.
I said what about playing back up here for the broncos and he said with a big smile on his face "I'm a Queenslander, so yeah I'd love to return:

So he’s telling the Queenslanders what they want to hear. Smart boy.

[GrubBER]

Bumped into Sam last night at the Ipswich touch footy. He was helping the kids out and signing stuff, etc.
I asked him about the chooks, and he said he would be there for the next 2 years at least.
I said what about playing back up here for the broncos and he said with a big smile on his face "I'm a Queenslander, so yeah I'd love to return:

Which means, he’ll probably end up there at the backend of his career for a final payout & to live

[King Salvo]

Reynolds has 2 more years at the Broncos so one would say come November 1 2023 they will be making a play for him and Dolphins/Titans/Cowboys also if he is wanting to return to Queensland

[Andrew Walker]

Reynolds has 2 more years at the Broncos so one would say come November 1 2023 they will be making a play for him and Dolphins/Titans/Cowboys also if he is wanting to return to Queensland

Which means we need to lock him up long term pronto

[mightyrooster]

Bumped into Sam last night at the Ipswich touch footy. He was helping the kids out and signing stuff, etc.
I asked him about the chooks, and he said he would be there for the next 2 years at least.
I said what about playing back up here for the broncos and he said with a big smile on his face "I'm a Queenslander, so yeah I'd love to return:

I don’t like the sound of that at all. He can return when he’s 32 and ready for retirement. He’s on record as saying he’s been a Roosters fan since he was a kid.

[can'tkeepagoodcoqdown]

I don't see him going anywhere. Have read numerous quotes from him about how much he loves the chooks. Instructed his managment not to entertain offers from other clubs as he wants to stay at the roosters.

Have been chatting with one of Sammy verrills family and apparently his long term goal is to get back to the chooks. Said the culture is second to none and that the players love robbo.

Sammy walker I see as a one club player. He has always said its about playing his best football and that robbo and the roosters is where he sees himself doing that. He could have stayed in Brisbane if he wanted to play for a Queensland club, instead he packed up as a 16 yr old and came to the chooks!

[Rooster_6]

Bumped into Sam last night at the Ipswich touch footy. He was helping the kids out and signing stuff, etc.
I asked him about the chooks, and he said he would be there for the next 2 years at least.
I said what about playing back up here for the broncos and he said with a big smile on his face "I'm a Queenslander, so yeah I'd love to return:

He's still only been here a couple of years, would be really hard for a teenager with all his school mates still up in Qld but he'll grow out of that and set up a life for him here in Sydney.

Got big hopes for him next year, thought he was a little quiet in the back half of the season. Up to the coaching team to get the best out of him.

[milanja]

He's still only been here a couple of years, would be really hard for a teenager with all his school mates still up in Qld but he'll grow out of that and set up a life for him here in Sydney.

Got big hopes for him next year, thought he was a little quiet in the back half of the season. Up to the coaching team to get the best out of him.

Maybe he lost a little confidence after Victor and JWH belittled him in the broncos game, if only they knew their own brain explosions in our last game of the year would cost us the game.

[Rooster_6]

Maybe he lost a little confidence after Victor and JWH belittled him in the broncos game, if only they knew their own brain explosions in our last game of the year would cost us the game.

I think it has more to do with the change in roles from Round 16 onwards. He had to take on far more of the kicking and organisational duties which took away from his running game and creative playmaking.

As a 5/8 he was averaging 35 touches a game, as a halfback slightly more at 41 touches per game but it's what he was doing with those touches that really took away from his strengths in my opinion.


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From transition as a 5/8 to halfback he was 16% more likely to kick the ball with each touch and 13% less likely to run the ball, passing pretty much stayed the same but what isn't measured there is the type of distribution that makes up those passing numbers. A lot more of that passing as a halfback is organsining the side, controlling play 5 before the kick & ensuring you're not out of position for play 6.

Don't get me wrong he had some real success with his kicking game, some of his short kicking was brilliant and we saw him strike up a really nice combination with Nat Butcher, short kick close to the line. But I just think his strength is his running game and ability to create space for others.

Who knows, maybe the coaching team see this as part of his development, and he will continue to play as a more traditional halfback for the next couple of years whilst Keary is still around developing his kicking and understanding of the game, and we'll just continue to see glimpses of his flair and creativity. But I hold hope that's not the plan and there's something install to help unlock Walker in our system a little more next year whilst not completely destroying the combo he and Keary built in the back end of the season.

[BillyBonkers]

Maybe he lost a little confidence after Victor and JWH belittled him in the broncos game, if only they knew their own brain explosions in our last game of the year would cost us the game.

Certainly, those two fools wouldn't have helped his confidence or he and his family commitment to the Roosters.