Roosters stars back touch football for Brisbane Olympics

Sydney Roosters playmakers Sandon Smith and Sam Walker have backed moves for touch football to be played at the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.

Smith, who was player of the match in the annual ANZAC Day clash with St George Illawarra, represented Australia in touch football as a junior while Walker’s brother Jackson is a member of the Australian Emus squad.

The pair played against each other in an U12s interstate match, with Walker representing Queensland and Smith playing for NSW.

Queensland Olympics Minister Tim Mander, a former NRL grand final referee, confirmed at the launch of Magic Round that his government was keen to have a form of rugby league played at the Brisbane Games in 2032.

“One of the abilities we have is to introduce new sports into the Games, that process is happening over the next 12 months and those decisions will be made then,” Mander said.

“What often happens is that it is a sport that may be localised in the country where the games are being held, and rugby league is definitely up there as one of our major sports.”

Flag football, a variant of gridiron with similarities to League Tag, will be played at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles and touch football is one of the options being considered for the 2032 Brisbane Games.

“That would be awesome,” Walker said. “I think it would be really cool for the game of touch. I love playing it and I love watching it as well.

"My brother plays for Australia in the mixed open team so fingers crossed he can keep going with it and maybe get to the Olympics.”

Smith is the latest in an impressive list of players with touch football backgrounds to make the transition to the NRL, including Shaun Johnson, Kalyn Ponga, Benji Marshall, Scott Prince, Matt Bowen and Jamie Soward.

Queensland Women's Origin stars Tarryn Aiken, Tamika Upton and Hayley Maddick are also former touch football representative players.

The rookie Roosters five-eighth grew up playing with and against Dolphins playmaker Kurt Donoghoe, who was an Australian U20s representative.

“It is a such an entertaining sport and there are some many good players who people just don’t get to see as much so that would be awesome if it was in the Olympics. I would want to watch it,” Smith said.

“It is a great sport, I miss it a lot. I don’t the opportunity to play these days, but I still watch it and keep up with it.”

The 22-year-old Central Coast product credited his touch football background for some of the silky skills he is now displaying in the NRL since inheriting the Roosters No.6 jersey this season.

“I played touch football before I even started playing rugby league, and that probably gives you the vision, creativeness and speed side of rugby league that some people don’t have, that you get in touch football,” Smith said.

“Sam Walker is a touch player as well. You sort of see it through him, as well.”

Walker, who is recovering from a knee injury that prematurely ended his 2024 season, said the skills he had developed playing touch had helped him in the NRL.

“Sandon and I still talk about how we played against each other in under 12s Queensland v NSW, and a lot of the skills I have in league come from my touch background and it is the same with Sandon,” Walker said.

“The way he moves and the way he passes all comes from touch so I couldn’t encourage playing touch more as a kid. It helped me a lot.”