Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Kevin Walters is considering handing Sam Walker a Kangaroos debut, admitting a strong finals showing for the Sydney Roosters will make the young playmaker impossible to ignore.
Walters will have plenty of halves options when it comes to picking his squad for the World Cup at the end of the season, headed by starting incumbents Nathan Cleary and Cameron Munster. Tom Dearden, Mitchell Moses and Ethan Strange were all a part of last year’s Ashes series.
But Walker, 24, impressed in his first State of Origin series for Queensland this season, and looks poised to push deep into September with the Roosters.
Even England have not given up hope of turning Walker’s head, with coach Brian McDermott confirming: “The door isn’t shut.”
Walters and McDermott were special guests at North Sydney Leagues Club for the Bears’ official jersey launch, and Walters did not hide from the fact he had a healthy appetite for Walker, whose father Ben and his uncles he played with at the Brisbane Broncos.
“There are three criteria, which is previous form [for Australia], Origin this year, and finals series,” Walters told this masthead. “I like Sam, he’s put himself in a great position [to be selected] with his form in State of Origin, and the Roosters will be playing finals.
“Reece Walsh got in the side last year because of his performances through the finals’ series. He was in and around the squad, but that sealed [his selection].
“A strong finals series doesn’t guarantee you anything, but it puts you right up there in the selector’s minds, and that’s the case with Sam.
“He can play No.6 or No.7, he’s creative, and I just like what he does. He’s a very good player who I look forward to watching.”
Walker was born in England while his father Ben was playing for Leeds, and McDermott, an assistant on the Gold Coast, said: “I haven’t shut the door on Sam. I bumped into him when the Titans had an opposed session against the Queensland Origin team. We shook hands and spoke about the game. He knows where I’m at. It’s not for me to pester him.
“I doubt I’ll get a phone call, and I’ll imagine he’ll pursue green and gold, but the door isn’t shut.”
Walters confirmed he was still leaning towards Reece Walsh being his No.1, even though the Broncos would not feature in the finals, and selectors Darren Lockyer, Cameron Smith, Boyd Cordner, Andrew Johns and ARL Commission executive chairman Peter V’landys were yet to officially discuss the squad.
Walsh’s two biggest threats, Penrith’s Dylan Edwards and Roosters’ captain James Tedesco, did not feature on Friday night because of injury, but will play big roles in their respective clubs’ premiership drive.
“I have a healthy respect for Reece and what he brings; I know him better than anyone in the game as far as what he brings to a team,” Walters said.
Why the next six days will define Penrith’s season – and beyond
Christian Nicolussi
The next six days will have huge ramifications for Penrith’s premiership aspirations both this year and beyond, as they seek to retain several of their superstars before the NRL finals.
The Panthers have started preliminary discussions with a host of key players who become free agents on November 1, including co-captain Isaah Yeo, Liam Martin, Paul Alamoti, Brian To’o and Isaiah Papali’i.
Superstar Nathan Cleary has not yet met with the club but is expected to sit down for contract talks in the coming weeks.
Penrith officials have been forced to put all negotiations on hold because players were in Mudgee most of last week for the clash against Canberra.
They then flew to New Zealand on Wednesday to prepare for Friday’s match against the Warriors, before another six-day turnaround leading into the blockbuster against Sydney Roosters next Thursday.
Victories in those two fixtures would all but seal the minor premiership, or at the very least a top-two finish, giving coach Ivan Cleary the opportunity to rest players across the final two weekends of the regular season for games against the Bulldogs and Wests Tigers.
Two losses and Cleary will need to keep playing his top talent until the end of the regular season.
Sources with knowledge of the situation not authorised to speak publicly confirmed the longer turnarounds after the Roosters game – eight days leading into round 26 and nine days leading into round 27 – would give the club and players the chance to squeeze in contract negotiations.
The same sources confirmed the club is open to continuing contract talks through September, provided they do not become a distraction for the players’ premiership pursuit.
Cleary’s future has attracted the most attention. The star halfback said two weeks ago: “The last few weeks there have been a bit of a comedown from Origin, and I’ve been trying to get back into a routine with the boys, and get back into consistent training. That sort of [contract] stuff will work itself out in the background.”
The increased interest in Cleary potentially becoming a free agent in November 1 is largely down to the PNG Chiefs’ ability to offer tax-free wages and lucrative third-party deals. The Chiefs have already signed Cleary’s former Penrith halves partner Jarome Luai.
Football manager Shane Elford is handling all negotiations, and keeping Panthers CEO Matt Cameron abreast of all negotiations.
Parramatta lash “false rumours”
Adrian Proszenko
Parramatta has leapt to the defence of Dylan Walker, slamming the “false rumours and innuendo” posted online about the premiership-winning player.
The Eels have opted to rest Walker for Saturday’s clash with South Sydney, giving the veteran’s body a break before the final rounds of the season.
That decision led to incorrect speculation online about the reasons for Walker’s omission. Parramatta CEO Jim Sarantinos on Thursday said the club was considering its legal options.
“The Parramatta Eels are aware of false rumours and innuendo circulating on social media about one of our players, Dylan Walker,” Sarantinos said in a statement.
“The claims are completely false and unfair on Dylan and his family.
“We should never be in a situation where a player has to defend himself against baseless online speculation. Everyone needs to understand how reckless and irresponsible this conduct is, and the real impact it has on people. We are not going to stand for it.
“The people spreading this material are not supporters or responsible journalists. Passion for the club and the game is welcome. Defamation, abuse and the deliberate spread of falsehoods are not. Dylan and his family have my full support, and the full support of the club and his teammates. We ask the media and the public to put this matter to rest.
“The club will be reviewing its legal options against those responsible for creating and spreading these false rumours.”
Walker, who will be replaced by youngster Saxon Pryke on the Eels interchange bench, will join Leeds Rhinos in the English Super League once his Parramatta contract concludes at the end of the season.
Manly won’t risk Tom Trbojevic for must-win Melbourne clash
Christian Nicolussi
Tom Trbojevic will miss Saturday’s trip to Perth after Manly medical staff decided the long flight risked aggravating his injured hamstring.
Trbojevic was back running in training last week and was keen to return against Melbourne after breaking down in the match against the Gold Coast Titans last month.
The Sea Eagles must beat the Storm to stay in touch with the top eight, and welcoming back their star No.1 would have been an enormous boost against a Storm side already missing some big guns including Cameron Munster and Harry Grant.
But the club’s medical staff, along with Trbojevic and coach Kieran Foran, made the call on Monday afternoon to play it safe. Adding to the club’s concern was that Trbojevic would have had to return home on a five-hour flight and potentially back up against the Dolphins at home six days later.
“We’ll hold ‘Turbo’ back another week, and the travel has a bit do to with it,” Foran said on Monday night.
“He was touch and go anyway. He’s running well, and ticking all the boxes, but the reality is it’s a risk we’re not prepared to take.
“There’s the flight, and we also come back and play the Dolphins on a Friday night. We’re pretty confident he’ll be right then. He’s close, but it’s one of these ones, based on his [hamstring] history, we can’t be short-sighted with it. We have to look after him.”
Trbojevic has suffered nine hamstring injuries the past eight seasons, but brings a presence every time he runs out in the maroon and white.
Tom’s younger brother Ben will also miss the Storm game because of concussion. Ben Trbojevic was knocked out more than 11 days ago against Cronulla, which meant he was free to return under the game’s concussion protocols, but Foran said the back-rower needed the extra recovery time having suffered several previous head knocks.
In brighter news, Manly welcome back Corey Waddell (ankle) and Brandon Wakeham (calf) for the game at HBF Park.
Meanwhile, Penrith have been dealt a blow with centre Casey McLean undergoing an operation on his hand late Monday, and will miss the next couple of weeks – games against third-laced the Warriors and second-placed Roosters. Dylan Edwards is expected to be named but unlikely to feature in Auckland on Friday. Izack Tago is expected to come into the centres.
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