Roosters halfback Sam Walker delivered a match-sealing subject aim in opposition to the Sharks and league legend Braith Anasta believes he’s “made for big games”.
Trent Robinson’s facet face their greatest take a look at but, lining up in opposition to the Storm on Friday in an elimination ultimate at AAMI Park.
After being dropped after Round 7 and struggling an ACL harm, Walker spent nearly all of the 12 months on the sidelines and in reserve grade.
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However, the 21-year-old has returned with a bang and Anasta heaped reward on his cool head and talent to ship when his staff wanted it most.
“It’s all a part of the journey, he has learnt the tough way this year,” Anasta mentioned on NRL360 on Tuesday night time.
“The one thing about Sam Walker is he is the type of player who can come up with big moments, he made that look so easy when he came up with the field goal.
“It was like shelling peas… he tests the opposition every time he touches the ball. He’s made for these big games Sam. Since he has returned, his form has been great.
“That moment where he kicked the field goal, you can’t underestimate that. You’re a young half who has been dropped and pretty much told you aren’t cutting it with first grade.
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“You come back in and you’re playing an elimination final, and look how easy he makes that look.”
League legend Gorden Tallis additionally requested if youthful playmakers like Walker wrestle to take care of the pressures that include enjoying for the NRL’s elite golf equipment.
“Sometimes when you’re younger you handle it better because you don’t realise how much the pressure really is,” Anasta mentioned.
“Until you get older and you see how much the game means and the criticisms and all the eyes that watch you.
“You have to be not scared of failure, and he is one of those halves who isn’t scared. He wants to win, he doesn’t think about the negative.
“He just thinks about him in front of him and that’s what makes him so valuable.”
Walker was closely criticised when Robinson made the choice to drop him to order grade, however Tallis believes it isn’t the “kick in the bum people think”.
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Instead, it allowed the younger gun to work out the place he wanted to enhance and after a interval on the sidelines he has come again larger and higher.
“We expect so much from our halves, only a select few at 19 or 20 come on the scene and don’t get dropped,” Tallis mentioned.
“Some of these guys need to learn the game. He came in to a system and he was struggling, sometimes you can struggle for form.
“A lot of the Roosters players were, he went back to reserve grade to find his game and I don’t think it’s the kick in the bum people think.
“Then he got injured, but it’s experience. Under the spotlight now how much pressure they are under.”
“That’s why it spoke so much about his character and self-belief, in the big moment he wanted the ball in his hands,” The Daily Telegraph’s Paul Crawley added.
“Not only did he want the ball in his hands, he went for broke. The big pass and the field goal.
“After the season he had you would think he would come back a little gun shy, but no he was guns a blazing.”
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
