Victor Radley's NRL vow ruined after 'totally unnecessary' act

Back before a ball was kicked in the 2023 season, Victor Radley talked about his desire to move on from some of the drama that's pockmarked his career. "I just want to be a good citizen and keep my nose clean – on the field and off it," he told Yahoo Sport Australia.

"If people are just talking about my footy then I will be happy. Six rounds into the NRL competition and it’s not Radley's footy making the headlines. Victor the Self-Inflictor is back.

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Six times in three seasons Radley had been marched to the sin-bin, the latest visit costing the Roosters big time in their 28-8 loss to Melbourne on Thursday night. The Tricolours were leading 8-6 when Radley unnecessarily barrelled Storm playmaker Cameron Smith with a late cheap shot to the ribs.

When he returned, the Chooks were behind 18-8 and never really looked like getting back in the contest, failing to score a point in the last 60 minutes. "The game took on a different complexion after the Victor Radley shot…it was late and he (Munster) was unaware," Fox League commentator Greg Alexander said.

"You can't hit a player when he’s not looking. Even though there wasn’t a great deal of force in the shot, it was late enough to send him to the bin.

"It was totally unnecessary and put his team under pressure, the Melbourne Storm ran in two tries while he was off the field."

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Roosters coach Trent Robinson admitted he was "frustrated" by the sin-binning but appears caught between giving Radley too much rope and too little.

"Look, you can’t do that. If that happened to Kez (Luke Keary) I’d be really frustrated," Robinson said. It wasn’t necessary and it wasn’t the end of the world at the same time.

"I want him (Radley) to fix it but not dwell on it. He’s made some really good progressions this year so he's not going to go back to zero on the stuff he’s got under control and the way that he’s played the game."

The Roosters were well beaten across the park by a Storm side now on a roll with three straight wins.

After losing two of their first three games, Craig Bellamy's men have regained their mojo ahead of next Friday's blockbuster against Manly at 4 Pines Park.