$1.5m question Roosters must answer after Walker blow… and it could ‘crucify their roster’

Sam Walker’s ACL tear has already put a significant dent in the Roosters’ final hopes, but the NRL 360 panel has also questioned what impact it could have on his contract negotiations.

Walker’s season may be over but the 22-year-old will continue to be in the headlines as he sorts out his future.

Walker’s current deal expires at the end of 2025, meaning he becomes a free agent from November 1 should he not be locked in beforehand.

The Roosters have tabled a two-year extension worth $900,000 a season, which they will reportedly stand by despite his injury likely to rule him out of the first half of next season.

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However it was revealed by The Sydney Morning Herald that Walker’s management had an asking price of $1.5 million a season for the star halfback — which the Roosters reportedly scoffed at.

Braith Anasta declared “that’s incredible” when reacting to the rumoured asking price, while Paul Crawley believes if the Roosters pay Walker $1.5 million a season “they crucify their roster.”

“That’s a lot of money when you figure that into a salary cap — that’s a seventh of a salary cap,” Crawley said.

“When you look at the Roosters’ roster I think you’ve got to share the money around otherwise it ain’t going to work.”

Crawley went on to suggest the Roosters will still make Walker an offer of “around” $1 million per season.

“I think the asking price is a little higher but I get the feeling they will meet halfway,” added Crawley.

Riccio, meanwhile, revealed that The Daily Telegraph are preparing a story on the NRL’s richest players — and if Walker inked a deal on that money he’d become the highest paid player in the competition.

Roosters coach Trent Robinson had said last month that Walker was in the “best space I’ve seen him in his career with us”, which makes the injury all the more heartbreaking.

Robinson had also been direct in telling reporters that the Roosters would be shelving contract talks with Walker until the offseason, which Riccio said on Tuesday was “significant”.

“That would have worked both ways,” he explained.

“It would’ve certainly worked for Sam if the Roosters went on to win a comp but also if it was a bit of a so-so finals series, the Roosters could pull on some bargaining power too.”

Instead, now Walker has been robbed of an opportunity to prove himself in the finals series, which is important given Gorden Tallis argued on Tuesday night that a player is only worth $1.5 million per season if they have stepped up on rugby league’s biggest stage.

“That’s a State of Origin winning playmaker. That’s a grand final winning playmaker. That’s Nathan Cleary,” Tallis said.

“If Nathan Cleary had come on the market, that’s probably Nathan Cleary money.”