Roosters star Victor Radley has been spared the axe but will serve a 10-game suspension without pay and donate $30,000 to St Vincent’s Hospital after he was implicated in a Queensland Police investigation that led to former teammate Brandon Smith facing a drug supply charge.
Radley fronted the Roosters board, including chairman Nick Politis, on Thursday after he was named as the alleged recipient of a contact from Smith him to source “a dangerous drug namely cocaine” on June 7 – according to the summons obtained by this masthead.
Radley is slated to earn around $650,000-a-season over the remaining two years of his Roosters contract, and a 10-week suspension of his wages would amount to more than $120,000.
Along with a $30,000 donation to The Kinghorn Cancer Research Centre at St Vincent’s Hospital, Radley’s financial punishment adds up to more than $150,000.
Radley was not charged and is not considered a person of interest by Queensland Police. There is no suggestion that Radley obtained or took illegal drugs, but he was implicated in the investigation into Smith by text messages from his phone.
The Roosters had on Wednesday advised Radley’s management to gauge interest from NRL and Super League clubs as they explored the possibility of cutting him loose.
Victor Radley and Brandon Smith after the round 27 match between the Roosters and Rabbitohs.Credit: NRL Photos
Roosters officials instead imposed what they described as the largest sanction in the club’s 117-year history after being convinced to resist sacking for bringing “the Sydney Roosters into disrepute”.
“I want to sincerely apologise to the club, my teammates, our sponsors, members and fans for the negative spotlight I have brought on the Roosters,” Radley said as he accepted the sanctions in a club statement.
