Can Sam Walker Play for Queensland?

May 13, 2026, 01:56
AustraliaSports

Introduction

Queensland needs a new player for the State of Origin game. Sam Walker wants this job.

Main Body

Tom Dearden is hurt. Now the coach must choose between Sam Walker, Daly Cherry-Evans, and Tanah Boyd. Some people say Sam is not good at defending. They say he makes mistakes. But the numbers show Sam is okay. He missed fewer tackles than other players. His friend Angus Crichton says Sam is better now. He works hard for his team. Sam is ready to play. He was in the big group in 2022. He wants to be a great player like Jonathan Thurston.

Conclusion

Coach Billy Slater will choose the team after the Magic Round games.

Learning

⚡️ The 'Comparing' Trick

In the story, we see people talking about who is better. To reach A2, you need to know how to compare two or more things using -er and better.

1. The 'er' Rule When a word is short, add -er to the end to show 'more'.

  • Hard → Harder
  • Fast → Faster
  • Example from text: "He works hard for his team" →\rightarrow "He works harder than others."

2. The Special Word: Better We do NOT say "gooder". We change the whole word.

  • Good →\rightarrow Better
  • Example from text: "Sam is better now."

3. The 'Fewer' Concept Use fewer when you can count the things (like tackles or mistakes).

  • Many tackles →\rightarrow Fewer tackles
  • Example from text: "He missed fewer tackles than other players."

Quick Summary:

  • Short word + er = More of something.
  • Good = Better.
  • Countable things = Fewer.

Vocabulary Learning

player (n.)
A person who plays a sport or game
Example:The player scored a goal in the final minute.
coach
a person who trains or directs a sports team
Example:The coach gave the team a pep talk before the match.
game (n.)
An activity that one does for enjoyment
Example:They played a game of chess after lunch.
player
someone who plays a sport or game
Example:He is a talented player on the basketball team.
coach (n.)
A person who trains or guides a team
Example:The coach gave a short speech before practice.
team
a group of people working together
Example:The team celebrated after winning the championship.
choose (v.)
To pick one option from several
Example:She will choose the blue shirt for the match.
game
an activity for amusement or competition
Example:The children played a board game after dinner.
good (adj.)
Having positive qualities or being beneficial
Example:He is a good player because he works hard.
choose
to pick or select something
Example:She will choose the best option for the project.
mistake (n.)
An action that is wrong or incorrect
Example:The player made a mistake and lost the ball.
defend
to protect or guard against attack
Example:The defender will defend the goal from the opponents.
numbers (n.)
Figures that show how many or how much
Example:The numbers show that he missed fewer tackles.
tackle
a physical move to stop an opponent
Example:The tackle helped the defender win the ball.
team (n.)
A group of people working together
Example:The team celebrated after winning the game.
mistake
an error or something done incorrectly
Example:He made a mistake when he forgot the keys.
ready (adj.)
Prepared and able to start
Example:He is ready to play when the coach calls him.
hard
requiring effort or skill
Example:Climbing the mountain was a hard challenge.
big (adj.)
Large in size or importance
Example:The big group gathered for the training session.
ready
prepared and able to do something
Example:She is ready to start her new job.