Victor Radley is at a career crossroads, and he’s received some important advise from some NRL greats.
The 25-year-old has already been sin-binned three times this season, with his most recent on-field infraction in Round 12 resulting in a three-game suspension for headbutting.
Radley was issued a grade one striking charge after yelling at Dragons prop Blake Lawrie during the Tricolours’ 24-22 loss at Kogarah Oval, leaving a gaping hole for the struggling team.
With three consecutive losses and rising pressure on the club, Radley’s absence is an unfortunate setback that will leave head coach Trent Robinson disappointed.
Radley has had his fair share of run-ins with the law throughout his NRL career, but he has chosen to enter an early guilty plea for the most recent incident.
Andrew Johns, speaking on Channel Nine over the weekend, said that the match officials should have handed the English international his marching orders.
“He should have been sent off – I can’t believe he wasn’t sent off,” he added.
“The bunker recognized it as a headbutt.” He completely loses his cool. You simply cannot do it.
“I think it’s dissatisfaction coming in; there’s a lot of talk outside the Roosters about how bad they’re doing, and whether it was in his mind.
“It doesn’t matter what happens on the field,”You cannot react like that.
Radley’s playing style has resulted in repeated penalties, sin-bins, and suspensions, prompting widespread demands for the gifted lock-forward to change his ways, with some even questioning his long-term future.
According to former NSW skipper and enforcer Paul Gallen, who had a bad reputation early in his career, Radley needs to turn things around soon, citing his own career crossroads when playing for Cronulla.
“He’s such a quality player, and it’s so frustrating,” he admitted on 100% Footy.
“I had problems earlier in my career for eight or nine years, and it took a chat with Ron Massey for me to get my head straight. He called me a’soft cock’ and banged me.
