Sam Walker is raring to go in a mammoth pre-season as the talented young no.7 takes on his third season in first grade at the Sydney Roosters.
After recently re-signing with the Club until the end of 2025, the 20-year-old is set to feature as a key figure as the Tricolours' venture towards a 16th NRL Premiership title.
In just 46 games at the top grade since his debut in Round 4 of the 2021 season, Walker has produced enough highlights that could cover a 15-year-veteran - just ask our videographers.
Now back at Moore Park after venturing through Europe and reuniting with family in Queensland, the scintillating half is enjoying life at the Club's new Centre of Excellence at Allianz Stadium.
“It’s been great to be back at training and see the boys,” he said.
“You start to feel a lot better about yourself after a little break especially after seeing some familiar faces.
“I went over to Italy for a wedding and spent a bit of time travelling there. Then I came home and spent time with the family.
The Best of Sam Walker
“But we're back at the new Centre of Excellence which has been exciting, I was really looking forward to getting back.
“It’s awesome. It’s definitely an upgrade from where we were. All the facilities we have here - especially the recovery rooms - are really good.
“Now that we are back I’m really enjoying my time here so far.”
With a Dally M Rookie of the Year gong and an Ashton-Collier Medal in tow, along with State of Origin experience in Maroons camp and earning his first rep jersey for the PM's XIII, Walker is looking to continue his trajectory in 2023.
While there is no single aspect of his repertoire he is solely focused on improving in the pre-season, the mercurial playmaker is intent on taking the foundations laid in 2022 and building off them heading into his third season.
“I learnt a lot. Changing sides of the field was a big one,” he explained.
“And there were a couple of big lessons for myself which I didn’t really have to face in my first year.
“There was a lot of learning there and I think we definitely found our feet at the back end of the year, so hopefully this time we can continue where we left off and make it a lot easier for ourselves at the start of 2023.
“All areas of my game, I’m not really set in stone in any aspect of my game so I think this pre-season and going into the year I really want to build on what I have so far.
I really want to start building on our combination early and I’m really excited to see where we can take the team this year. I’m really keen to get Brandon in and training with us. I know he’ll enjoy it up here and it’ll be good fun.
Sam Walker On new signing Brandon Smith
“This new block before Christmas is really important for us to lay out on our new home base and get everyone on the same page.”
Two key members of the squad Walker is excited to link up with are Luke Keary and new arrival Brandon Smith, both of whom will return from successful World Cup campaigns with Ireland and New Zealand respectfully.
Along with Captain James Tedesco at the back, the trio will form arguably one of the most exciting spines in the competition, and the youngest member is excited to see what they can do when they all hit the field.
Walker and Keary Combine
“Having this block before Christmas will be good and I’m looking forward to having him back in here,” he said of Keary.
“I really want to start building on our combination early and I’m really excited to see where we can take the team this year.
“I’m really keen to get Brandon in and training with us. I know he’ll enjoy it up here and it’ll be good fun.
“I think there will be a bit of a learning curve with how he wants to play but once we get that out of the way, I’m keen to see where he can take our game.
“When the big boys come back in the New Year, hopefully, we can hit the ground running and really attack the first half of the year.”
