Hugo Savala has officially started just two games in the halves this season, but one passage of play from five months ago has his teammates convinced that he’s the right guy to cover the loss of Sam Walker in the finals.
Walker will miss Sunday’s qualifying final against Penrith as he deals with an ankle injury, with Savala to partner Daly Cherry-Evans in the halves.
It’s a rare opportunity for Savala to play in the position he made his own in 2025 when he burst onto the scene, with the versatile Rooster spending most of this year at left centre.
And it was in that role that he did something most people would have missed when Walker got tackled in the left corner close to the line and stayed down for a moment.
Savala took his chance and drifted infield, where he went to first receiver for the next three plays against the Knights, with Mark Nawaqanitawase eventually crossing in the right corner thanks to his teammate creating an extra number.
The try was disallowed after replays showed the winger had put a foot in touch, but that moment showed everyone at the club just how valuable Savala is.
“I think that was an outstanding set of play,” Roosters coach Trent Robinson beamed after the game.
“He goes down there, has a look down the short side, he sort of hesitates just behind the ruck…I’m not sure whether Sammy (halfback Sam Walker) said something or not.
“And then he plays two really clear plays about getting us into a point and then creating the opportunity on the next one. I love the fact that he had the confidence to do that, and then he also had the style of play to do that as well.
“I thought he was so good today out there at left centre and doing the role that he’s been asked to do there.”
Nawaqanitawase didn’t score the try but hopes his five-eighth plays with the same confidence on Sunday.
“Hugo is a competitor, but he’s also a smart footy player,” he said.
“He could see that Sam was down in that certain scenario, and having played that position before, he knew it was the right decision to come around and help out on the other side.
“I’m sure you’ll see it again this weekend. He’ll have more of a role to play so he’ll be moving with more freedom.
“Especially in the finals, you need to take every opportunity you get to score points.”
Prop forward Lindsay Collins smiled the moment that play was brought up, with the veteran remembering word for word what Savala said to him.
“I remember that try and I asked him what he was doing there. He said ‘I’m just playing footy’.
“It’s probably something that a lot of us lose as we get into systems. I think that’s one attribute that he has and has held onto is being able to play eyes-up footy, and then having the confidence to play what he sees.”
Savala doesn’t have the freakish off-the-cuff skills that Walker possesses, but no one at the Roosters is asking him to play like that against Penrith.
“We’re really looking forward to what Hugo’s going to be able to bring to the side,” Cherry-Evans said.
“It’s going to be different to Sam. I think that’s always really important to call out; we don’t need him to be Sam, we need Hugo to be Hugo.
“You guys watched enough footy last year to know what that looks like. Hugo’s got a very, very strong career ahead of him in the halves.
“I’m excited to play alongside him. He’s excited to be back in the halves, so we’ll be using that sort of energy to steer the team around.”
As for Savala, he’s just happy he gets the chance to start in the halves again after losing to Cronulla in last year’s elimination final.
“I know my role, and I know how I fit into this team,” he said.
“We have a good system in place here at the Roosters so I’ll bring my attributes and play my game.
“I probably wouldn’t have had the confidence to do that play last year, but I’m in my second year now and have a bit more confidence.
“It’s the boys around me and the leadership group who have given me the confidence to go out there and play my game.”
Originally published as The unscripted Hugo Savala moment that has stayed with his teammates for months