Sydney Roosters star lock Victor Radley is facing another extended stint on the sidelines after being hit with a grade-two dangerous contact charge.
Radley was charged by the NRL match review committee for making contact with the legs of Brisbane’s Albert Kelly after the halfback put a kick through late in Friday night’s match.
Radley has four prior offences in the last two years and is looking at three weeks out with the early guilty plea or a four-week ban if found guilty at the judiciary.
Brisbane five-eighth Tyson Gamble is also facing a ban of two to three matches for a crusher tackle on Roosters forward Nat Butcher.
If he escapes suspension Gamble may still miss the Broncos’ clash with the Warriors after suffering a hand injury, although he has been cleared of a fracture.
Brisbane have two other concerns with Kelly and Xavier Willison both set to have weekend scans on knee injuries.
Radley’s possible suspension took the shine of the Roosters’ 21-20 thrilling win, which put them back in the top four for the first time since round eight.
A thrilling 21-20 win over Brisbane on Friday night has put the Roosters fourth on 30 points, ahead of Parramatta (28) and Manly (26), who face off on Saturday.
It sets up a blockbuster run home for the Roosters, who will face St George Illawarra next Sunday, followed by South Sydney and Canberra.
Historically speaking, a top-four finish is essential to a premiership, which should be considered out of the realm of possibility for the Roosters given their injury toll.
The forced retirements of Boyd Cordner, Jake Friend and Brett Morris, as well as season-ending injuries to Lindsay Collins, Luke Keary, Billy Smith and Joseph Suaalii have depleted their roster.
Josh Morris and Matt Ikuvalu are hoping for a return in the finals, but for now Robinson is counting on rookies to get the job done with wins in five of their last six games.
“We obviously lost last week but we came out of a couple of tough periods around Origin and we’ve continued to drop players but kept playing footy,” he said.
“I’m asking guys who are just getting started to play big minutes but also play big moments and they’re learning on their feet.”
Makeshift centre Adam Keighran is one such player.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
The ex-Warrior is more comfortable at five-eighth but has been plugging a gap in the outside backs.
On Friday night, the 24-year-old stood up with four goals from four attempts, including the match-winning penalty ten metres from the sideline in the final minute of the game.
“They dream of that kickers, don’t they?” Robinson said.
“Adam’s just getting started. He’d played nine games before this year so probably hasn’t had many opportunities at that at NRL level, but he’s a beautiful kicker of the ball and he nailed it.
“It’s a real tip of the cap to Adam.”
mushi
Roar Guru
From the looks of it the referees must be non roosters as most games now have the referee pushing back and clearly looking annoyed. The idea of the captains enquiry is to positively influence the unconscious bias, all I see of teddy is the opposite. He's gone full george gregan out there.
Pickett
Roar Rookie
In my totally biased eyes, he's just querying the ref. To non-Roosters he's whinging. I dunno mate, I reckon he's alright in the way he goes about it.
mushi
Roar Guru
I think it was a 2 week charge with 2 lots of loading to 4 weeks and then he saves a 1 week for the early plea. So without all the priors it would simply be one week.
mushi
Roar Guru
Come on Pickett, Teddy as captain definitely has some whinging shades. Not sure making him captain was the right call but kind of stuck with it now as taking it off him would look like a punishment.
mushi
Roar Guru
It's a penalty and a fair charge. You just can't go for an old school charge down anymore, the risk of contacting the leg is too high. Not sure why anyone does it anymore.
Onya.
Guest
It’s up to the defenders to avoid any contact with the kickers. Radley certainly hit the kickers legs & knees with his dive & it looked nasty . No doubt that that was a penalty against him. It seems that Radley commits far too many accidents, with the way he defends. Whether high hits , dangerous tackles . So many so, that most people watching see these ‘accidents’ , as being done on purpose. I think he belongs in the 60’s & 70’s , with the way he plays .
HENRIK
Guest
So tell us who you support and wel see how many of the m are Juniors. Banging on about Juniors is the dumbest comment anyone can make. IT IS PROFESSIONAL SPORT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
1. Radley was correctly penalised for taking his legs because it is dangerous. If he was going for the ball he would have to have arrived much earlier but he was late so he should’ve pulled out. 2. The rule about a player going for a high ball not being penalised because he has eyes for the ball is allowing players to obstruct and take out the player jumping for the ball. Today we saw a NZ Warrior take out a Canterbury player in the air because he had his eyes on the ball. He hardly jumped but took out the legs of the Bulldog who landed on his face. This could’ve been worse if he landed and injured his neck. The Warrior wasn’t penalised because he had his eyes on the ball. That was dangerous but no penalty.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Radley is a liability to the Roosters, too many times this year he has lost the plot and cost the roosters points / games. He lacks discipline. Given this is his umpteenth offence i am not surprised that he got 3-4 weeks. I also wouldn't be surprised if the Roosters offloaded him at some point. He's lucky that the roosters got that win with that contentious penalty at the end, otherwise that loss would have sat squarely on his shoulders.
Paul
Guest
Good morning Pickett. I can tell that you had absolutely no idea ,what my previous comment was all about . By your reply to it. Did your 5 year old assist you with that witty repartee? Get off the fence Picket(t). Tell us what you really think .
Bernie Vinson
Guest
Dont get it - every week a kicker on the sixth can be late tackled and held onto to stop him running players onside but nothing called by refs, a player going for a high kick is safe from repercussions if his eyes are on the ball but Radley trying to save the game gets 3 weeks?? BTW it is not a knock on if the ball goes forward - it must go forward towards the opponents dead ball line - commentators are calling forward when a player turned sideways knocks the ball toward the sideline. Would brain dead commentators read the law book??
Joey
Guest
Fans have sorer heads than the players. Go Storm.
Rob
Guest
Radley is innocent my ass. He knows how to take a reckless shot way to often. He should have been put in the bin. Missed the ball by a margin but certainly didn’t miss taking the leg of Kelly with maximum force?
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Yes we dislike the Storm more than the Roosters. I can remember when Saints won 11 years in a row. Just imagine the rage, people stopped watching the game.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
He’s been given 3 weeks for the charge down. It would've been a charge down if he went for the ball and not the legs. I remember a grand final where Canberra hit an Easts player's legs after a similar late charge down and they weren't penalised. Easts and other fans claimed correctly they should've got a penalty. Easts won both games under controversial circumstances. The team in your profile picture is the team that holds the record for number of wins in a row. Saints beat them twice that year and would've won the grand final if Langlands had his leg nerves in the right place. I'm living in the past again as I am St.George, a bitter twisted malcontent with delusions of granduer.
Rob
Guest
I simply hate watching the Roosters. I’d like to watch the Qld teams, Knights, Storm and Raiders but I’m watching less and less Rugby League due to the contrived officiating. Life long fans are turning off in Queensland. Radley hurt 2 players (Gamble and Kelly) last night because he’s not innocent in trying to do grubby behaviour just like JWH ( split Molo open) or Tupounia ( who injured Ponga and Watson) IMO. Then you have the professional milkers Walker and Tedesco. Just to top it of you have the bunker stepping in deciding a result on some garbage desperate high contact CC challenge. Robinson’s Rooster are king of the flop, split marker, deliberate hold down, walk of the mark, grab the marker rubbish. Happily giving up penalties under pressure with a coach that without fail whinges every time his side loses, only to get a free pass from the officials.
Pickett
Roar Rookie
Good afternoon Paul I'm not sure what you're trying to say, but can use your color crayons to write or draw whatever it is you're trying to convey?
In the Storm!
Guest
So is that when replying to everyone else? They’ve only become less relevant in the ‘Hate’ stakes, as there’s Melbourne to hate right now. As the Roosters have zero chance of winning the premiership this season. The hate has simmered down a little . Don’t worry! It’ll be back soon enough.
Larry1950
Guest
Teddy has got a bit above himself with refs this year, I reckon he’s taken the mantle from Gallen after playing with him in those beaten nsw teams. However, as long as the refs treat him the same as other whinging captains, I don’t care & it doesn’t seem to have affected his form. Much talk here about next man up etc from the roosters but given the broncos team changes in the same period they at least deserve accolades for aiming up last night when they could easily just put the cue in the rack this season. Looks like Kevvie has something to work with next year when their recruits arrive. For the life of me I don’t know how Corey Oates keeps getting chances with his poor defensive reads (GF loss is on him) & regular handling errors, at least Niu & Coates are really just kids.
Onya.
Guest
Radley can be a great player. To bad he’s a dipstick.