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Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson plans to keep the NRL guessing over Sam Walker in the coming weeks after shifting the halfback to the bench.

Trent Robinson will keep South Sydney guessing in the lead-in to Friday's NRL top-four showdown, saying he will make a week-to-week decision on whether to start halfback Sam Walker.

The 19-year-old Sydney Roosters star was shifted to the bench an hour before kick-off in Sunday's 40-22 win over St George Illawarra and it's a ploy Robinson will play with a fortnight out from finals.

Walker played 38 minutes against the Dragons, scoring a try and setting up another with Drew Hutchison and Lachlan Lam the two starting halves.

Just how Robinson plans to manage the teenager is yet to be seen but he'll use the uncertainty to his advantage.

"You never know," the coach said when asked what his plans were with Walker for next week.

"I've got some good young experienced halves in Lachy, Drew and Sammy who are here to play footy and I felt like today was the day for a shift there, and we'll see on Friday.

"I'll just keep making a choice around that.

"All three will be playing a lot of footy, I know that."

The win over the Dragons put the Roosters into top four over Manly with games against the Rabbitohs and Canberra to come.

A victory over their arch rivals on Friday night would assure their spot in the top four - an unlikely result considering the adversity they've faced with injuries and suspensions this season.

"They are heavyweight fighters in our competition and we feel like we started off as featherweights and we keep putting on weight each week," Robinson said.

"And if we keep putting on weight we might get up to their division soon.

"So let's see where we get on Friday night and where we get over the next couple of weeks."

The Roosters had another injury scare when Nat Butcher was taken off early in the second half with a knee injury and didn't return.

Veteran prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves was also cause for concern when he was bent backwards in a tackle and appeared to hurt his knee, before bouncing back up in a show of his flexibility.

"Since he's lived at Mosman he's done enough yoga and pilates so he's in good enough shape to bend like a pretzel," Robinson joked.

"He recovered well from that, most guys wouldn't."