‘Missing piece': Roosters suffer setback in finals push with Hugo Savala to be sidelined
Savala was in extreme discomfort with 12 minutes to go when his left arm got trapped awkwardly while making a tackle on Clint Gutherson.
He didn't train on Monday and is expected to be out for up to two weeks, with Sandon Smith the man most likely to come straight back in for Friday's crucial clash against the Sharks that will have massive top-eight implications.
'Sandon and Sammy have played their best footy together (so I'm confident they'll be fine this week),' Roosters prop Naufahu Whyte told the NewsWire.
'Hugo is going to be a big loss with the way that he plays, but it's a next man up mentality here and we always trust whoever puts on the jersey to get the job done.'
Smith has started 15 games at five-eighth this season but was dropped to reserve grade on the weekend, with Savala the preferred option to partner Walker when everyone is fit.
Smith's played in plenty of big games alongside Walker and came off the bench in the famous 13-12 win over Cronulla in the 2023 elimination final.
'Whatever half steps up, they all know the system so well and they have full confidence from the rest of the team,' Egan Butcher said.
'It's been so good watching Hugo kill it this year. It's just a little setback and he'll hopefully be back in a couple of weeks.
'He'll build his combo with Sam and hopefully get that right for the finals series.
'One of his (Walker's) biggest strengths is his game management, so he always knows what the team needs at the right time. Having him out there with his composure was big for us.'
While Savala's booming boot has been a revelation this season, Walker's timely return is just what the Roosters needed as they fight for a finals spot.
The star playmaker suffered an ACL injury last year and broke his thumb just days before he was supposed to return to the NRL side this season.
He had a huge smile on his face as he ran onto the field on Saturday and came up with a couple of important plays, including a field goal on the stroke of half-time to give the Roosters the lead at the break.
He spent 10 minutes off the field while in the sin bin for a cannonball tackle, with the halfback joking that he was relieved he didn't have to pay a $1500 fine after avoiding a charge from the match review committee.
His attacking brilliance could be the difference for Trent Robinson's side, with the Roosters now looming as a nightmare opponent in the finals if they get there.
'Sammy is the final missing piece that our team has been needing,' Whyte said.
'He just fit right back in like he never left. He just got back to his business and what he does best last week with that field goal.
'The way that he plays is special, and it's something that we love having. We just let Sammy do his thing and we play off him because he's a special talent.
'Even seeing him at training when he was out, he always put in the work and you could tell he was so keen to get back on the field because he was always carrying a footy everywhere he went.'
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