In massive news, the Sydney Roosters have released a club statement this afternoon addressing the Victor Radley situation and handing down a significant punishment for the forward.
The Roosters statement acknowledges Radley has not been charged by Queensland Police but goes on to say, "the references in the media to communications allegedly between him and others have brought the Sydney Roosters into disrepute."
Subsequently, the Roosters have decided to suspend Radley for 10 matches without pay and have also handed him a $30,000 fine, to be donated to St Vincent’s Hospital for cancer research.
The report also states Radley has accepted the club’s sanctions and is remorseful, with the backrower adding this to the statement:
“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. I accept the sanctions in full and will work hard to earn back the trust and respect of everyone who supports this great Club,” said Radley.
MORE: NRL set to axe a third of their referees
As pointed out by the Roosters, this is the largest sanction ever imposed on a player in the club’s history, and represents a significant punishment, especially given, as some have noted, Radley had not broken any laws or been charged.
Despite that, it had been heavily discussed by sections of the media that a likely outcome was Radley wouldn’t play for the Roosters again, with some reports suggesting the club was exploring ways to terminate the contract of the one-club player.
Reports from just yesterday also indicated Radley’s management had been told to look elsewhere for a club, with England becoming a real possibility if those reports proved accurate.
In the end, Victor Radley’s Roosters career appears to have been saved, albeit at a heavy cost.
Despite the Roosters’ statement and the finality of their decision to hand down punishment, with the Brandon Smith court case set to drag on, there is no doubt Radley’s name will continue to appear in headlines.
The Roosters will be hoping the heavy punishment serves as a stern warning to its playing group on behaviour and expectations, and on a wider level, it also sends a warning shot across other NRL by drawing a clear line in the sand for players.
For the Roosters and Radley’s sake, fans will be hoping he moves on and grows from what has been a week of negative headlines the club would have desperately wished to avoid after being bundled out in week one of the NRL finals.