By Matthew Sullivan

Copyright news

Last week the Roosters banned Radley for 10 matches without pay and he was also made to give a $30,000 donation St Vincent’s Hospital for charity research.

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There were reports Radley would be sacked over his role in an incident that led to former teammate Brandon Smith being charged with drug supply, but club officials ultimately spared him the axe.

Smith appeared in Queensland’s Southport Magistrates Court last week, only days after text messages between the hooker and Radley were leaked suggesting that the Roosters star had tried to obtain cocaine while on a golf trip.

Radley’s name has been mentioned in an alleged text message exchange with Smith, although the Roosters forward is not the subject of any police investigation and there are no allegations that he has done anything wrong.

The 10-match ban means Radley, 27, will forfeit around $150,000 of his annual Roosters salary worth $750,000.

This week Radley has opened up about the suspension, saying he feels most sorry for the club and his loved ones — revealing he has had to call off his upcoming wedding for financial reasons.

In December last year announced his engagement to his partner Taylah, who is now pregnant with their second child.

“My fiancee 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,” Radley told Code Sports.

“She is 32 weeks pregnant but has still stood there and made me feel safe and that everything is going to be OK.

“I will be (in the bad books) in a few days, but she’s got my back for the minute.”

He told Nine News: “My missus isn’t too happy. We’ve 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 backburner. She was stoked.”

Radley admitted he feared he would be sacked by the Roosters, especially given club chairman Nick Politis said earlier this year he wanted the club to have a zero tolerance approach to drug use.

“I felt embarrassed, to be honest,” Radley told Code Sports.

“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.

“It was 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, who played in the Roosters’ 2018 and 2019 premiership wins, was spared the axe and will remain at the Roosters, where he is contracted until the end of 2027.

“The Sydney Roosters are aware of references in the media to communications allegedly between Sydney Roosters player Victor Radley and others in relation to allegedly obtaining an illegal substance,” a club statement read after the sanction was handed down.

“While Radley has not been charged by Queensland Police, the references in the media to communications allegedly between him and others have brought the Sydney Roosters into disrepute.”

A remorseful Radley accepted the sanctions and vowed to win back the trust of his teammates, following the Roosters’ elimination final loss to the Cronulla Sharks.

“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,” he said.

“I accept the sanctions in full and will work hard to earn back the trust and respect of everyone who supports this great club.”

England coach Shaun Wane has said he plans to select Radley to play in the three-Test Ashes series against the Kangaroos starting on October 25 at Wembley.