Brisbane Broncos legend Corey Parker has had his say on who he thinks will win the Dally M Medal for 2026.
The 347-game NRL legend made a bold call when speaking on SEN, saying he thinks Sydney Roosters halfback Sam Walker will win the Dally M.
With the arrival of Daly Cherry-Evans, it is set to free up Walker's game and let him play to his greatest strength, his running game.
"Sam Walker will get the Dally M medal," Parker told SENQ Breakfast.
"I expect a huge year from the Roosters, and if the Roosters are at the top of the tree, Sam Walker is polling points flat out."
With DCE, Walker, James Tedesco, and Reece Robson taking out the spine positions in the Roosters colours, it will provide the best chance for Walker to hone in on his craft.
The only concern now comes with the fact that the all-star spine will take points off of each other when each of them get to shine in different weeks of the competition.
We saw Walker in the Roosters second trial last Saturday, where he dominated with ball-in-hand and linked well with veteran Cherry-Evans on both sides of the ruck, a great sight to see for Chooks fans.
In what is an uncanny parallel, Cooper Cronks' move to Bondi at the end of his career, where he unlocked his halves partner Luke Keary, who won the Clive Churchill Medal, mirrors what is currently shaping up at the Roosters with Cherry-Evans departing Manly last year.
If we see history repeat itself, we are set to see Walker dominate the league and make a strong case for Queensland Maroons coach Billy Slater to have him in his 2026 Origin squad.
It would complete a great redemption story for the 2021 Rookie of the Year, who suffered from knee injuries in 2023 and 2024, hindering his time on the field.
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