Sam Walker's 36‑point haul powers Roosters to 82‑12 win over North Queensland

Sydney Roosters full‑back Sam Walker scored a historic 36 points – three tries and 12 conversions – in the club’s 82‑12 rout of the North Queensland Cowboys on 31 July 2026. The tally is the third‑largest individual scoring haul in NRL history, behind only Dave Brown’s 45 points in 1935 and Mal Meninga’s 38 in 1990.

Walker’s total alone exceeded the Wests Tigers’ combined 32 points from their previous five games. Roosters head coach Trent Robinson praised the team’s defensive effort, noting that “you don’t get 80 points unless you defend the other side well.” Cowboys coach Todd Payten described the loss as “one of our darkest days.”