On the eve of Sam Walker’s much-anticipated Origin debut, an expert in sports science is worried about the new Queensland halfback’s longevity in the game.
Greg Blood worked for the Australian Institute of Sport for over 30 years and alarm bells went off in his head when reports emerged last week that Walker had taken painkilling needles for 22 straight weeks on an AC-joint injury during his debut season in 2021.
One of the smallest halfback in the NRL, Walker has also suffered several serious injuries in the ensuing seasons and is certain to be targeted by the big NSW forwards tonight.
READ MORE: Unheralded Aussie stuns world No.8 at French Open
READ MORE: Hird will say ‘yes’ if Bombers ask him to be coach
READ MORE: Cleary could be biggest loser from major Origin change
“He’s talented, brave and tough, no doubt about it,” Blood told Wide World of Sports.
“But athletes should not be playing if they rely on painkillers – the health of the athlete should be paramount and the long-term effects of painkillers are still a bit of a grey area.
“Given that he is so much smaller and slighter than some of these huge guys who will be running at him and trying to hurt him, I have real fears about how long his career will last.
“In my time at the AIS, we had a very strong anti-doping regime… I’m not talking about cheating here but the health of the athlete.
“Painkillers are not banned but the concern is what effect they will have in later life.
“The Roosters have qualified medicos and I’m not questioning them – I’ve no doubt they take care of him and think of his welfare – but the fact is that some guys just don’t have the physique for the sports they play and that makes them prone to injury.
“League is such a tough collision sport and you have to worry about life after the game – we’ve seen all the problems players have with HIA and this is another area of concern.”
Watch the 2026 State of Origin series live and free exclusively on Nine and 9Now.
Blood found that most athletes are only concerned with the here and now.
“They are young men and women driven to be the best in their field, which is admirable,” he said.
“So much so that we did a survey a while ago at the AIS and asked them if they could take a substance that would win them a gold medal but would kill them in 15 years, what would they do.
“The overwhelming majority said they would take it – they are young people who think they are bulletproof but sadly they are not.”
The Roosters were contacted for comment.
RADLEY FACING ELIGIBILITY BACKLASH
Another man on Origin debut, Walker’s Roosters teammate Victor Radley, has upset some fans over in England.
Born and raised in Sydney’s east, Radley has played nine Tests for England because his father was born in Yorkshire.
But with the changes to eligibility rules, Radley can now play for NSW and in the lead-up to his debut, declared in media interviews “I’m Aussie through and through” – and that hasn’t gone down well in the Old Dart.
Several angry trolls on social media have attacked Radley, saying he should never play for England again.
That won’t worry Victor, a loveable larrikin who could prove a key man for the Blues tonight, but English fans may remind him of it during the World Cup at season’s end.
TIGERS LEGEND SLAMS SOCIAL MEDIA HOAX
Tigers 2005 grand final hero Pat Richards has exploded on social media after low-life trolls made up a post that he had died in a car crash.
Richards is the latest victim of a host of false Facebook posts that have caused nothing but distress to his family and friends.
“What is wrong with people?” Richards vented on his social media accounts.
“My daughter showed me this fake Facebook post tonight claiming I’d been seriously injured/killed in a car accident. Not cool at all. Please report this rubbish page.”
Last month, a similar post claimed Panthers legend Royce Simmons had died and it spread like wildfire.
It got to the point where Simmons’ wife had to put up a post that he was fine and the news was totally fabricated.
EX-KNIGHTS COACH EARNS LIFELINE
Knights legend Michael Hagan held a coaching clinic for young players at the start of the season – and Newcastle could be seeing a lot more of one of their favourite sons.
A former Knights player and the last man to coach Newcastle to grand final victory in 2001, Hagan has established a good friendship with new coach Justin Holbrook.
The pair regularly do post-match coffee briefings during the week and it wouldn’t surprise to see him take on a formal role at the club once again sometime in the next few months for 2027.
