One of Brandon Smith's last acts as a Sydney Rooster was to help nurse Sam Walker back to health as the pair recovered from their serious knee injuries.
Hooker Smith and halfback Walker suffered long-term anterior cruciate ligament injuries in the same Roosters game last September, entering rehabilitation as their teammates locked in for the 2024 finals.
Walker had never suffered an injury as serious since his NRL debut in 2021, with the shoulder reconstruction he required in his rookie season the only thing that had come close.
The 23-year-old said the famously upbeat Smith kept him going through the long months watching the Roosters from afar.
"It's obviously a tough one," Walker said.
"I had 'Cheese' (Smith) there with me through most of it, which was really cool for me as well, which helped me a fair bit.
"Obviously there are periods there where it gets a bit painful, gets a bit tough. It's just good to have someone to lean on.
"It was good to have someone there that was going through a similar thing to me."
While Walker made his long-awaited return in Saturday night's 31-24 defeat of St George Illawarra, Smith fell further out of favour during his lay-off and eventually signed with South Sydney mid-season.
By that point, he and Walker were almost ready to return to the field.
"We were both pretty much there (when Smith left)," Walker said.
"We got through most of it all together. It's tough to do but there are so many people in the club that have gone through it as well. You lean on those people."
Smith's comeback lasted only one game before he went down with another knee injury, leaving the 29-year-old racing the clock for Souths' round-27 grudge match with the Roosters.
After recovering from a thumb injury that delayed his own return, Walker was scathing in his review of his comeback game.
The halfback laid on a try and kicked a field goal against the Dragons on Saturday night but also missed six tackles and threw a forward pass.
"(It's) probably the most rocks or diamonds performance I reckon I've had in my NRL career," Walker said.
"But I've got to keep building on that. I know I'll be fitter and faster and stronger as the season goes on."
Walker was full of praise for rookie five-eighth Hugo Savala after the halves pairing's first hit-out together.
"He helped me a lot out there with his control, his maturity in the way he plays," Walker said.