Sydney Roosters star halfback Sam Walker is officially set to hit the open market on November 1 after the club withdrew their contract offer for him.

The messy nature of the contract negotiations - which were apparently all but agreed to before Walker's management came back to the Roosters with new demands - makes the situation almost untenable at Bondi Junction for the Queensland and Australiand debutant.

So ordinary is the relationship now it has even been reported he would be clear for an early move if he can find an interested party for 2027.

That looks unlikely given how late into the preparations for next season it is, with clubs salary caps all close to full, and certainly not having a million-plus dollars lying around.

The Roosters will likely wind up stuck with him for 2027 unless they can orchestrate a player swap, but the halfback is almost certain to be elsewhere in 2028.

Plenty of clubs around the competition could find a pretty easy reason to make a play for the halfback, and here are the seven we have identified.

Here are the clubs most likely to make a play for Sam Walker.

2. Perth Bears

The Perth Bears, ever since they were first announced really, have been linked to anyone and everyone. That's not really a surprise either.

When you run the rule over their 2027 squad, it's clear they have missed a lot of the players they wanted to sign.

While Mal Meninga has maintained confidence over the shape of his squad for 2027, the $2 favourites for the wooden spoon tag is not one they will be able to shake without some early wins.

Meninga also reckons Perth's salary cap is tight, something that's hard to believe when the squad is laid out on paper.

Regardless, they have two spots left for each of the next two years, and while they have signed halves, Walker would be a major upgrade and boost.

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