TWO of rugby league’s greatest playmakers, Queensland legend Cooper Cronk and Wests Tigers icon Benji Marshall, insist Sam Walker will not succumb to second-year syndrome and believe it’s only a matter of time before the Maroons’ under-18s whiz-kid plays State of Origin.
Walker lit up the Telstra Premiership last season, with the Ipswich sensation winning NRL rookie-of-the-year honours after stepping up amid an injury crisis at the Sydney Roosters to lead the Bondi club to the finals.
By season’s end, the baby-faced 19-year-old had amassed 19 try-assists from 21 games, thrilled fans with his bag of tricks, and was being touted as the eventual successor to Queensland Origin skipper Daly Cherry-Evans at the Maroons’ scrumbase.
But rugby league is littered with tales of promising young guns who shine in their first season, only to hit the wall in their second.
Former New Zealand Test captain Marshall is adamant that will not happen to Walker, saying the Roosters teenager will ironically receive help from a State of Origin rival, his clubmate and NSW playmaker, Luke Keary.
“I don’t think second-season syndrome will be an issue at all,” said Marshall, the 346-game NRL legend who, like Walker, made his top-grade debut in the halves while still a teenager.
“If anything, the first year would have been harder for Sam because the Roosters had so many injuries and without Keary (sidelined by a knee reconstruction), he had to become the main half.
“If you are going into your first year and you have an experienced half around you, it’s so much easier. But when you are a rookie and you are expected to do everything, that’s really hard to do.
“With Keary back in the mix this year, Sam’s job will be so much easier. They will be marking Keary first and Walker second.
“He won some games single-handedly last year, so he should be very proud of what he achieved as an 18-year-old in his rookie season.
“But the next step is to always get better, and there is room for improvement for Sam.
“He is around the right people at the right club, which is great.”
With Cherry-Evans having turned 33 in February, the Maroons need to begin succession planning.
Walker is at the vanguard of a number of promising playmakers who are eligible for Queensland, including Titans young gun Toby Sexton, the Cowboys’ Tom Dearden and highly-rated Broncos teenager Ezra Mam.
But Marshall urged the Maroons to take a cautious approach with the Roosters ace.
“There’s no doubt he has the talent, but I wouldn’t put the expectation on Sam to play Origin this year,” Marshall said.
“If he is good enough, he will be old enough.
“It’s up to him where he gets to in the NRL. There’s no reason he can’t play Origin, but I think it’s important he is given time to develop before he worries about playing for Queensland.
“I think the world of him as a playmaker. What I love about him is that he is not afraid to play the way he plays.
“He reminds me of myself as a kid. I just played what I saw and was prepared to back myself to take anything on, and I think Sam is in the right hands of Trent Robinson (Roosters coach) and Luke Keary.
“They won’t try and get stuck into him about the mistakes he makes. They will reinforce the good things he does, and it was nice to see last year that ‘Robbo’ let Walker play his style.
“Along the journey, Sam, as he gets more experience, he will learn how to pick his times.
“He needs to put on some size, but I love the way the kid plays.”
Much has been made of Walker’s perceived lack of size, but the former Ipswich Grammar rugby star has put on 6kg over summer.
Walker’s father Ben, who played 135 NRL games, often reminds people he started his career at the Broncos as a wiry 78kg playmaker and bulked-up to 95kg.
If anyone can spot an Origin talent, it is Cronk. He played 22 games for the Maroons, including 16 at halfback, and has relished mentoring Walker in his role as a specialist halves consultant with the Roosters.
“Sam showed he can handle big moments, as evidenced by the field goal he kicked to steer the Roosters past the Titans in the opening week of the finals,” Cronk said.
“He’s obviously at the start of his career, but like a few of the other players, he was exposed to certain circumstances early on that you can only dream of.
“Going down to Melbourne and playing at AAMI Park, he’s done that. Playing Magic Round in front of 50,000 people, he’s done that. Playing finals, he’s done that.
“Sam had to pick up a couple of lessons along the way about physicality, control of the team and decision-making, particularly with the ball and kicking.
“But he’s a tremendous kid. I love working with him, and he has a big opportunity ahead of him this season.”