Very impressive.
I thought the Roosters did a very good job of protecting him. They hid him well in defence and they kept his role very simple. It appeared Trent gave him very clear instructions where he had a license to roam but if he didn't spot an opportunity just to turn it back on the inside. They didn't overload him either, Hutchinson largely managed the team while Tedesco and Manu were both given a license to create. That allowed Sam to focus on his pet play which was incredibly effective.
I think he can take a lot of confidence out of the fact that at 4-12, the Roosters were looking very ordinary and he had a big influence on the result. His line engagement for the Butcher try was fantastic, that's the type of play that really impressed me during his junior rep games and earned him DCE comparisons.
What I liked is that he didn't just disappear from there. There are so many talented playmakers who come up with a brilliant play, clap their hands together and clock out for the rest of the game. Next set he puts up a good kick which earns a result for his team. I liked his play in the following set as well, plays first receiver on the left hand-side cops a late shove from Harris but immediately gets up and plays his part down the right for Morris to score.
Even in the second half I liked his work in the lead up to the Morris try. He does his pet play, except this time it's down the left with Crichton. Again he doesn't clock off, accepts the offload and challenges the line. Gets tackled but breaks out of it and keeps the ball alive which eventually creates the space for Morris to score from dummy half.
I thought his kicking game was on point, I think there was only one kick that wasn't caught in that 10m zone which is where you want them. However it was his work off the ball that impressed me most. He didn't hide out on his edge he was constantly around the ball and he wasn't afraid to play down different sides of the field if he saw an opportunity.
I'm not going to get too carried away and call it a Man of the Match performance. He's still a raw prospect and there's a learning curve that comes with playing in the NRL week in, week out. With that said, you couldn't expect much more for a 19 year old halfback making their debut. The result was a wonderful testament to him and the Roosters who really did a good job of managing him.