NRL

Sam Walker’s 2026 season is officially over after scans confirmed the Sydney Roosters star suffered a high-grade syndesmosis injury in Saturday’s loss to the Dolphins according to CODE Sports.

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The devastating diagnosis means Walker will require surgery and will miss the Roosters’ entire finals campaign in a huge blow to their premiership hopes.

Walker suffered the injury in the 53rd minute of the 26-12 defeat at Allianz Stadium when his ankle became awkwardly trapped underneath Dolphins forward Kulikefu Finefeuiaki during a tackle.

The incident was reviewed at the time but Finefeuiaki was cleared of any foul play, while Walker was left in significant pain and unable to continue.

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The 24-year-old immediately left the field before being sent for scans, with coach Trent Robinson admitting after the match there were fears he had suffered a syndesmosis injury.

Those scans have now delivered the worst possible outcome for the Roosters, confirming a high-grade injury serious enough to require surgery and ending any hope of Walker returning during the finals.

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It is an enormous setback for a Roosters side that had spent much of the second half of the season battling at the top of the ladder before consecutive defeats against the Wests Tigers and Dolphins stalled their momentum the past two weeks.

Walker has been instrumental in their success this season alongside Daly Cherry-Evans, with the new halves combination developing into a major part of an attack capable of challenging for the premiership.

His injury also comes after an outstanding individual year in which Walker broke into the Queensland State of Origin side and produced a standout performance in the Maroons’ Game Two victory over New South Wales.

Trent Robinson must now find a new halves combination heading into September, with Cherry-Evans able to move back into his customary halfback position and Hugo Savala almost certainly partnering him.

The Roosters know all too well the impact of losing Walker at the business end of a season, with the halfback tearing his ACL in Round 26 of 2024 and missing their entire finals campaign as their premiership push ultimately fell short.

There still have their final regular-season clash against arch-rivals South Sydney before turning their attention to the finals, but they will now have to pursue their first premiership since 2019 without Walker.

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