Trent Robinson has dubbed his teenage star Sam Walker ‘The Finisher’, but it was a moment other than the halfback’s field goal that caught the eye of Peter Sterling.
Walker started on the bench for the Roosters in their thrilling win over the Gold Coast Titans, coming on in the final minutes to seal a one-point victory, before displaying some defensive heroics as time expired.
“For your coach to label you [The Finisher], it’s a big complement,” Sterling said on Sterlo’s Wrap.
He comes in for the last six or seven minutes, he nails the one point in that 35-34 win a number of weeks back, he was the difference, he’s the difference here again.”
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Sterling said it sounded strange that the field goal wasn’t Walker’s biggest play, but that his covering effort following Beau Fermor’s line break in the dying seconds was even more important.
“He misses the [first] tackle, he stumbles – if he falls over there, the Gold Coast win. Because he’s not in shot to make that tackle on Phillip Sami.
Walker was bumped off inside the Titans’ half, before sprinting back to pull down the winger short of the line.
The Titans would spread the ball right on the final play, only for Patrick Herbert’s pass to find the sideline rather than winger Corey Thompson.
“The field goal was huge, but then to save the game, if he hits the deck, and he doesn’t make that tackle on Sami, they get beaten anyway,” Sterling said.
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“For a young man who’s got the world at his feet, for the coach to, in such a confident manner, label him that – it augurs very, very well for his future and how he’ll react in pressure situations.”
Instead of the eighth-placed Titans sparking a boilover, it was the Roosters who move on and face Manly this week, with a spot against arch-rivals South Sydney on the line in the preliminary final.
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