‘Relentless’ Walker eyes stunning return for Dolphins showdown

Roosters coach Trent Robinson is “pretty confident” Sam Walker will make a stunning return from an ankle injury for the preliminary final against the Dolphins.

Walker underwent surgery on a syndesmosis injury late last month, with many believing his season was over.

But speaking to media on Saturday night, Robinson said he was confident the Maroons half would be back for the Suncorp showdown.

“Pretty confident from what we’ve seen,” Robinson said.

“He hasn’t trained with us yet, but he’s had really good progressions and (on) Monday or Tuesday we’ll get a good gauge on where he’s at when it comes to more uncontrolled footy stuff,” Robinson said.

Walker came off the field in the second half of the Roosters’ round 26 loss, ironically against the Dolphins, having suffered the injury in a tackle from Kulikefu Finefeuiaki.

Scans the next day confirmed a high-grade syndesmosis injury, and he underwent surgery on August 30.

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Daly Cherry-Evans said Walker had since then been “relentless” in his pursuit of a comeback this season.

“It’s been so great to watch him, and to be honest, it hasn’t been surprising,” he told reporters on Saturday.

“He’s an extremely competitive person. The team means a lot to him. The opportunity to play deep into the finals means a lot to him, so there’s no surprise that he’s putting himself in the frame to play next week.”

Hugo Savala has been sensational as cover. Against the Sharks, he kicked seven from eight with two try assists.

He is expected to return to the centres, while Walker slides back into the No.7 jersey alongside Cherry-Evans.

“Everyone’s different. I’m different to Sam, Sam’s different to Hugo, and vice versa,” Cherry-Evans said.

“The most important part you can do as a player is concentrate on who is there. If next week Sam’s available and the coach puts him in, then we’ll focus on who is there and how they can help us win this football game.

“Hugo is a first-grader. He’s a half. There’s no doubt about it, but what he’s done for the team has been extremely selfless this year.

“It’s great to see him given his opportunity – he’s taken it with both hands. It’s just great for us, depth-wise, to have those players fit and healthy.”

For the Super League-bound Cherry-Evans, he has a maximum of two NRL matches remaining – at least for now – in a storied career that has spanned 16 seasons and 352 matches.

He’s one of four big-name Roosters leaving the club at seasons’ end, alongside Angus Crichton, Mark Nawaqanitawase (both rugby), and Connor Watson (Dragons and then PNG).

Cherry-Evans said as important a part of the club those players are, it was important for the playing group to not dwell on the potential of it being their last match or risk it providing a distraction.

Even it that means taking some shine off his own final visit to Suncorp, where he has produced several moments of magic in his lengthy State of Origin career with the Maroons.

“Everyone’s aware of the situation, and as our coach said, what’s on the other side is a very rewarding feeling and opportunity,” he said.

“At no stage have we made it about me or anyone that’s leaving the club, and I think that’s really important because those things, while they create great headlines for you guys, they distract you from what we really need to do here and play footy.

“I completely understand the sentiment (of his own return to Suncorp Stadium), but again, they’re just storylines.

“At the end of the day, we’re playing a prelim. We actually don’t care where we had to play it. At the end of the day, we just wanted to give ourselves an opportunity, and we’ve created that opportunity.

“Now we’ve just got to get our bodies recovered, our minds right, and then go after it again like we did (on Saturday).”

The Roosters will play the Dolphins on Friday night.