Young gun Sam Walker has re-signed with the Roosters on a two-year deal and, if he had it his way, coach Trent Robinson said he would have extended his tenure for a decade.
Robinson confirmed Walker has agreed to terms on a contract extension in a boost ahead of the side's clash against the Cowboys in Magic Round.
He said on Thursday that Walker was comfortable with the new two-year agreement, although joked he wanted him signed for another 10 years given the outstanding start to the teenager's NRL career.
"It's nice knowing that you look at a player, see what you want in a player and then he delivers on that and more," Robinson said.
"It's obviously been quite quick, the negotiations, but trying to work out the value of an 18-year-old halfback is [hard], and that's taken a couple of weeks.
"It's been very clear from [his parents] Ben and Kylie, Sam and their management that this was the place for him a couple of years ago and this is the place for him the next couple of years.
Roosters v Cowboys - Magic Round
"I said 10 [years] but that didn't happen … we did [talk about a longer deal] but being really honest about it, landing on a number is hard.
"That stuff will look after itself again. I think it's ended up in a good spot for what an 18-year-old kid plays for.
"It's been great to get it done and keep Sam rolling on. We know he's been a Roosters supporter as a kid and wants to be here."
Walker's manager Clinton Schifcofske told NRL.com before the deal was confirmed that the club culture was an integral factor in the teenager staying with the Roosters.
"When you do a deal there are a number of factors. Obviously money is important, but there are a whole heap of other things - who is your coach, what is the culture like, what style of footy do they play," Schifcofske said.
"A lot of things are just as important as the money when you have a switched on kid like him."
Schifcofske said Walker was handling his meteoric rise well.
"He's only a young player, still finding his feet, but he's a really mature kid. For an 18-year-old kid he is super impressive," he said.
Robbo thrilled to re-sign Sam
"He listens before he speaks which is a great quality. He's been brought up around men, his dad and his uncle Shane used to coach the Jets and he would tag along to training when he was 11 or 12 years old so he's comfortable in that environment.
"I think you can see that at the Roosters when he is around senior players like Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Jake Friend and Luke Keary. They have really taken to him because he is such a mature, level-headed kid.
"He has a lot of confidence but it is not arrogance, he's a humble lad to go with it."
Walker has taken the Telstra Premiership by storm since making his NRL debut in round four, with three tries, 12 goals and 10 try assists in six appearances.
Magic match-ups to watch out for this weekend
Such has been the impact he has made that some have compared him to Immortal Andrew Johns at a similar age.
"I can see the Joey comparison with him testing the ruck. I played with Joey and he was always testing that ruck, working over certain players to get them on the fourth tackle," said Roosters great Anthony Minichiello.
"I have seen Sam do that. I just think he has great vision. He's a kid with all the skills. He can kick left foot, right foot, he's a goal-kicker.
"When you come into a team that has good structures, they are well coached and their training is first class, that's why you see the kid excel."
With Walker hampered slightly by a shoulder injury in the lead-up to Magic Round the attention has again shifted to the prospects of another teen sensation, Joseph Suaalii, possibly making a debut.
Robinson was keeping the situation close to his chest.
"Joseph is … it doesn't look likely [he'll play]," Robinson said.
"I haven’t been asked that in seven days. He'll travel. He's getting close, it won't be long. The way that he's trained and prepared, he's ready to play.
"It's not going to be far away but wait and see if it's going to be this week."
Meanwhile, the Roosters coach spoke out after receiving a suspended $10,000 fine by the NRL following his post-match comments regarding the handling of the Drew Hutchison incident in last week's clash with the Eels.
"It's been hard for me to understand that, I wouldn't have changed the press conference that I gave," Robinson said.
"I can understand the rules around [questioning] the integrity of the refs but questioning the process was fair and justified and if they believe that that's a breach, then it's a breach.
"But I wouldn't have changed anything that I said in that press conference."
