- Victor Radley has broken silence on text message scandal
Sydney Roosters star Victor Radley has broken his silence on the drug text message scandal that saw him hit with a monster ban – sharing details of how his heavily pregnant fiancée reacted to the saga that cost them a fortune.
The Roosters enforcer was suspended without pay for 10 games and will also make a $30,000 donation to a Sydney hospital after accusations he asked former teammate Brandon Smith to help him source cocaine while on golf trip in Queensland.
Smith, who is now with South Sydney, has appeared in court and will fight allegations of drug supply and disclosing inside knowledge for betting. Court documents show Smith is accused of unlawfully supplying Sydney Roosters lock Radley with cocaine on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast in June.
Radley has not been charged with any offence and the Daily Mail does not suggest he engaged in any wrongdoing.
Regardless, the entire incident will cost the Roosters star close to $200,000.
And Radley has now publicly expressed his gratitude – in multiple media interviews – to his pregnant partner Taylah who has been caught up in the fallout.
Victor Radley (pictured with fiancee Tayla Cratchley) says he’s ’embarrassed and never wants to be in this position again’
Radley was dragged into the scandal surrounding allegations of drug supply against his former teammate Brandon Smith (pictured left with Radley)
The couple will also postpone their 2026 wedding due the six-figure sanction imposed by the Tricolours.
‘I felt embarrassed, to be honest,’ Radley told News Corp.
‘The club and my family were the two I had to worry about. I didn’t want the people I love to feel the way I felt. I want to make sure the people I love are all right and I made them feel like s**t. That hurt the most. That was disappointing.
‘I bought a negative spotlight on the club and that’s something I don’t want to do and it’s something I will learn from and move forward.’
Radley says hurting his loved ones has been the toughest part of the ordeal.
‘The hardest thing is how this has (affected) my family. I don’t mind copping a bit of hurt myself but my family is the difficult one,’ Radley said.
‘I don’t want people around me hurting because of me.
‘My fiancée is getting bombarded, but she has been the rock for me. As hard as it is for her, she hasn’t shown it too much.
‘She is 32 weeks pregnant but has still stood there and made me feel safe and that everything is going to be okay.
Radley says hurting those closest to him has been the toughest part of the ordeal
Radley says he is very grateful to his partner for how she has handled the scandal
‘We’ve (also) canned our wedding – we were meant to get married at the end of next year.
‘We were organising it, but we’re gonna struggle to come up with it anyway now with how expensive they are. We’ll put it on the back-burner.
‘I will be [in the bad books] in a few days, but she’s got my back for the minute.’
‘She hasn’t made me worry about it too much. I am very grateful for her.’
Radley said similar in an interview with Channel Nine’s Danny Weidler near the very top of Tuesday evening’s Sydney bulletin.
While Radley has accepted the terms of his punishment from the club, there is a chance he could return to the field this year.
England coach Shaun Wane confirmed he will pick Radley to line up against Australia in the upcoming Ashes series if he’s fit and healthy.
Radley’s father Nigel was born in England and his son decided to represent the country at the 2022 World Cup.
That made him ineligible to play State of Origin for NSW, and he has since gone on to run out in nine matches for the old enemy.
