Captain James Tedesco insists Sam Walker is not the only Sydney Roosters player who needs to lift his game after the young halfback was omitted from the side for the annual ANZAC Day match with St George Illawarra.
Walker will play for the Roosters' NSW Cup side against the Dragons this Sunday after failing to spark the Roosters in back-to-back losses to begin the month.
Walker's demotion to reserve grade, his first since making his NRL debut early in 2021, has prompted a reshuffle in the halves with utility Joseph Manu moving to five-eighth and Luke Keary to halfback.
There is not yet a timeline on Walker's return to the first-grade side but both Tedesco and Keary are backing him to fight his way back.
"He's a really good kid, he's taken it really well," Keary said.
"He'll work on his game, he'll go through (with) the coaches what he needs to work on.
"The Sam Walker I know, he'll be fine. He'll go back, work really hard and he'll get his way back in."
Tedesco was clear while Walker was the man to drop to reserve grade, the Roosters could all consider themselves on notice.
"We all haven't been at our best, to be fair," he said.
"Sammy knows that, Sammy knows that we haven't been the best and a lot of us feel that as well.
"It's obviously tough to take but you've got to remember he's only 20 years of age and he's played 50 games.
"Halfbacks naturally do take longer to mature. I know he's going to go back and work on the things he has to work on and be back in the team in no time."
Keary said at such a young age it was reasonable to expect Walker to still be finding his feet.
"He's been through a lot," he said.
"He came into grade at such a young age, he came through the COVID period, he went from schoolboy footy, he skipped (under) 20s and reserve grade, he didn't get a chance to play.
"He's learned a lot of lessons on the run that other kids would have got to learn through Jersey Flegg and reserve grade.
"He's going to be fine, we all know the talent he is."
Walker's spell in reserve grade coincides with the return of second-rower Angus Crichton, who took indefinite leave at the start of the season following his diagnosis with bipolar disorder.
The State of Origin representative played 80 minutes for the Roosters' NSW Cup side last week to acclimatise ahead of his NRL comeback.
"It shows his match fitness is still there and now he's back in the team. It's a real credit to him," Tedesco said.
"We're proud of 'Gussy' getting his way back into the team and back playing footy so quickly.
"I know it hurt him watching from home in the first couple of rounds when we weren't doing too well, so it's great to have him back."
