NRL's '90s throwback' in mix for prized gong

3 years ago 325

Sam Walker has been hailed arsenic "a throwback to ... the 90s" and Reece Walsh "attacking dynamite", aft the young guns were contiguous shortlisted for 1 of the astir prestigious awards successful rugby league.

The exceptional debut seasons of Roosters halfback Walker and Warriors fullback Walsh person culminated successful the teen stars being shortlisted for this year's Rugby League Players Association Rookie of the Year award.

When the victor of the prize is announced adjacent Sunday, either Walker oregon Walsh volition articulation an elite database of names – 1 that includes Sonny Bill Williams, Daly Cherry-Evans, Cameron Munster and Cody Walker.

Rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns says Walker has shades of respective large halfbacks of yesteryear.

"He's a throwback to an epoch wherever halfbacks would debut successful the 90s and they would play what they see, they would instrumentality risks, they propulsion agelong balls, they'd look up, they'd instrumentality the enactment connected themselves," Johns told Wide World of Sports.

"The happening is with Sam (is) helium plays without a information net; he's not a robot, similar we spot (of) a batch of the young halves that travel into play.

"He's been educated by his begetter (Ben Walker) and his uncles (Chris and Shane) and they play a definite benignant of footy. It's been based connected however halves would play successful the 90s: Ricky Stuart, Allan Langer, these sorts of players. And it's truthful refreshing to watch, I emotion watching him play."

Walker has been tasked with steering a depleted Roosters outfit astir the parkland this play but, contempt not having the on-field enactment of the likes of Luke Keary, Jake Friend, Boyd Cordner and Brett Morris, he's nailed the challenge.

Not lone has the wily playmaker absorbed relentless attacking raids from the absorption large men, he's acceptable up 19 tries from 20 games.

In past night's elimination last helium showed poise beyond his years to travel connected for the past 10 minutes earlier owning the biggest infinitesimal of the crippled against the Titans, sidesplitting them disconnected with a precocious field-goal that ensured the Roosters would unrecorded to spot different time acknowledgment to a 25-24 win.

Fellow Queenslander Walsh shone for the Warriors aft the New Zealand nine poached him from the Broncos successful April.

The speedster crossed for 9 tries and acceptable up 11 others passim his 16 appearances this season, his brilliance starring to a sensational Maroons State of Origin squad call-up.

While Johns and erstwhile Sharks skipper Paul Gallen person some tipped Walker to instrumentality retired the Rookie of the Year award, erstwhile Jillaroos prima Allana Ferguson has backed Walsh.

"So galore of the Warriors' opportunities travel disconnected the backmost of Reece Walsh ... Such an breathtaking subordinate and he'll get amended with the enactment and the players that travel him," Ferguson said.

"But the happening that conscionable stands retired to maine is his competitiveness. He's got a spot of mongrel successful him, which you request to play NRL, but peculiarly (in) his position.

"He goes supra and beyond for his teammates and he's just, again, specified an breathtaking footy player."

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