Victor Radley is eager to strike a new deal with the Roosters, but has conceded that he will entertain offers from NRL rivals – and even the Super League – for the first time in his career so he can look after his young family.
Amid the exodus of stars including Mark Nawaqanitawase, Daly Cherry-Evans, Angus Crichton and Spencer Leniu that followed the Roosters’ premiership win, and this week’s headlines surrounding Sam Walker’s messy contract situation, it is easy to forget Radley will hit the open market for the first time on Sunday.
The 28-year-old enforcer has spent a decade in the NRL, winning three premierships with the Roosters, and has never felt the need to explore what might be out there beyond the eastern suburbs – until now.
Radley is in no rush to sort his future as he finalises his departure from long-time agent Sam Ayoub before joining a new management team.
The hard-hitting forward’s preference is to finish a one-club player, but said it was important his next contract was one that looked after his fiancée Taylah and two young boys, Vinnie and Cruze.
If Radley, a local junior, cannot agree to a new deal with the Roosters, he is open to linking with an NRL rival – including the PNG Chiefs – or even a move to England, the country he will represent in the World Cup on Friday night against Papua New Guinea in Wollongong.
“The Roosters are everything I’ve ever known,” Radley told this masthead. “I love the club so much. They’ve done right by me for years.
“It hurts me inside just thinking about playing elsewhere, but I need to look at all my options now. The days are gone where I’m living in a two-bedroom unit, having a good time. I have two kids, a fiancée, and a house that needs paying off.
“Like everyone in Australia, you have your struggles with interest rates. People will laugh at that and say, ‘He’s been on good money’. But I’ve got a decent mortgage.
“I also copped some financial pain at the end of last year [The Roosters hit Radley with a $150,000 penalty for bringing the club into disrepute during a Sunshine Coast golf trip].
“It hurts me inside just thinking about playing elsewhere, but I need to look at all my options now. I have two kids, a fiancée, and a house that needs paying off.”
Victor Radley
“I’m open to everything. I love new experiences, that might even include living in England and playing in the Super League. It’s something I’d be interested in.”
Radley’s immediate focus, though, is finalising his management situation. “I’m joining a new company run by my fiancée’s uncle [Paul Williams] who has brought on board my good friend Max Muddle. I’m excited about that. We’ll sit down on Monday and work out what we want to do moving forward.”
Radley has a long history of head knocks but insisted there was no cause for prospective new clubs to be alarmed. He only missed one through game concussion in 2026 after a desperate tackle in the 80th minutes against the Wests Tigers saw him come off second best.
“I understood what happened to me at the start of last year – I was in that state of chronic fatigue, which is why I kept getting those concussions,” Radley said.
“I worked hard with the staff to make sure I never get into that state of fatigue again, and the proof has been in the pudding with just the one [head knock this year].”
Radley backed Dolphins star and England teammate Herbie Farnworth to join the Roosters, a move which has been the subject of heavy speculation for most of this year.
“He’s a quality player,” Radley said. “I’ve said it since 2022 [when I first met him with England]. When you see how hard he works at training, he’ll be a quality player for any team – and hopefully it’s us.”
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
