The discomfort evident on the face of three-year-old Sam Walker as he’s made to wear a South Sydney jersey is palpable.
Only the most devoted Souths fans would have noticed the young, blond Walker in this team photo, taken alongside his father Ben and younger brother Jackson, following the 2006 Charity Shield.
But even at a young age, Sam harbored a strong dislike for Souths and deliberately supported their rivals, the Roosters, simply to defy his family.
On Friday night, Sam will step up as the playmaker for the Roosters in their match against the Rabbitohs, with his usual halves partner Luke Keary sidelined due to concussion protocols.
Ben Walker, Sam’s father, spent two seasons at Souths, as did his uncle Shane Walker, who also appears in the same photo.
According to Shane, there were two main reasons why Sam changed his allegiance: to rebel against the family tradition, and because he couldn’t stand watching films featuring Souths owner Russell Crowe.
When Sam received his Roosters jersey before his NRL debut, Ben recounted a night when Sam was deeply upset watching Souths narrowly lose a derby match in 2012, with Adam Reynolds scoring the winning try in the final minutes. It was a rare moment of emotion from Sam, who typically kept his feelings hidden.
Despite the heated rivalry between the Walkers and the Roosters, they will be at Allianz Stadium to support Sam in the upcoming derby. Shane emphasized that their love for rugby league transcends jersey colors, and they’re fully behind Sam as a nephew, player, and individual, regardless of what team he represents.
