Victor Radley is the NRL’s ultimate redemption story heading into this year’s State of Origin series after coming within a whisker of losing his contract at the Roosters over a cocaine scandal last year.
Radley was embroiled in the biggest controversy of his career in August, when it was revealed his name had been referred to in the drug-dealing allegations against his former Roosters teammate Brandon Smith.
In June 2025, during a team golf trip on the Sunshine Coast, police alleged through text messages that Radley sought to obtain an illegal substance.
Despite being named in the investigation, Radley was not charged by police, and the Daily Mail does not suggest he engaged in any wrongdoing.
Powerful Roosters chairman Nick Politis has consistently expressed his policy of sacking players who get caught with illegal substances.
Many in the game, including Radley himself, thought Politis would rip up his contract, but instead he was suspended for 10 matches without pay and told to donate $30,000 to Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital.
Victor Radley will debut for NSW next week after coming through a cocaine scandal in 2025
Roosters chairman Nick Politis (pictured with Radley prior to the scandal) was expected to tear up the star’s contract last year
It meant he could not return to the field until round 11 of the 2026 season.
However, the penalty was later changed to make him available in round six after Roosters coach Trent Robinson and Politis agreed to count last year’s three-Test Ashes series and two pre-season matches.
Politis told the Sydney Morning Herald that Radley had paid a big enough penalty after he was named to debut for the Blues next week.
‘I’m very happy for him, it’s fantastic for him to be there for the first time,’ Politis said.
‘That [decision] probably helped him. We didn’t specifically bring him back for [Origin], but it obviously helps him.
‘He deserved to come back. He had paid enough penalty … He paid dearly financially, well over $100,000 in fines and loss of pay. He missed out on going to England and about 10,000 quid [$18,000]. He paid dearly more than anybody else.’
Politis said it was ‘virtually’ the biggest fine in NRL history.
Moving on to next week’s Origin opener, Radley will embrace his status as Queensland’s new public enemy No.1.
Former Roosters teammate Brandon Smith was implicated in the scandal
Radley is now a doting dad with partner Taylah Cratchley after the couple’s son Vinnie Cash was born in 2024
English international Radley only entered the selection frame after changes to eligibility rules this year and was a surprise inclusion on the bench when Daley named his game one squad on Monday.
‘I didn’t expect to get picked,’ Radley said.
‘That’s not saying I ruled it out but to get the call, to get told I’m on the bench, it was a little bit surprising. But also, I think I’m ready for it.’ Radley is one of the most fiery characters in the NRL, sin-binned 11 times in his 166-game NRL career.
He walks a fine line each week and missed last week’s Magic Round loss to North Queensland through suspension for a high tackle.
On Monday, Blues coach Laurie Daley warned he would not tell Radley to curb his aggression and declared: ‘I picked Victor to be Victor. ‘I don’t have to have a conversation with Victor. I love everything he brings.’
‘He brings intent and he brings a physicality and I think a lot of people when they have watched Victor Radley over the last few years would have loved to have seen him in this arena,’ Daley said.
Radley said he ‘couldn’t care less’ if his fiery reputation made him a wanted man in Queensland’s eyes.
‘I’m never loved no matter what I do,’ he said. ‘I’m enemy number one.’
