Sydney Roosters star Victor Radley has been handed the “heaviest sanction ever” in the club’s 117-year history after he was embroiled in a Queensland Police investigation that led to Kiwis international Brandon Smith facing a drug supply charge.
Radley fronted the Roosters board on Thursday and has accepted a 10-matchsuspension without pay. He will also make an A$30,000 ($33,700) donation to St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney towards cancer research.
The 27-year-old has been caugh out up in Smith’s court case after text messages between the pair allegedly showed Radley asking for assistance in acquiring some cocaine.
Smith appeared in the Southport Magistrates Court for the first time today. He was silent in court and did not enter a plea over the allegations, which also include disclosing inside knowledge for betting.
The matter was adjourned until October 9 at Queensland’s Southport Magistrates Court.
Radley is not considered a person of interest by Police and has not been accused of any wrongdoing, but the Roosters say he’s brought the club into disrepute.
Radley accepted the sanction and expressed his remorse in a club 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,” 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.”
There had been suggestions that Radley would be on the hunt for a new team, because of the club’s zero tolerance for drugs, but he appears to have survived the axe for now.
South Sydney Rabbitohs player Brandon Smith arrives at the Southport Magistrates Court on the Gold Coast. Photo / Photosport
The Sydney Morning Herald said that staff on Taskforce Maxima, which is responsible for targeting serious organised criminal gang activity in Queensland, saw Smith’s name when they were examining a drug dealer’s phone.
It is alleged that Smith provided information on the team line-up to the dealer and another man, who then used that to place bets on him to be the first try scorer in a match.
Under bail conditions, Smith is not to contact two associates who were allegedly named in the text exchange, including Radley.
Smith had previously pleaded guilty to drug offences while living in Queensland, when he was charged with two counts of supplying and possessing drugs after being found with an amount of MDMA in 2014.
No conviction was recorded, the Sydney Morning Herald said.
Smith departed the Roosters for cross-town rivals the South Sydney Rabbitohs midway through the 2025 NRL season, despite still recovering from an ACL injury.
He has represented the Kiwis on 13 occasions, with his last appearance being at the Rugby League World Cup in 2022.
In 2021, while playing for the Melbourne Storm, Smith and teammates Cameron Munster and Chris Lewis were all handed a one-match ban and fined more than $50,000 after they were filmed partying with a white substance on a table in the background.
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.
