NRL royalty could win The Frownlow Medal in 2025 after Victor Radley was handed the heaviest sanction ever imposed on a player from the Sydney Roosters.
The Frownlow Medal is awarded to the player whose off-field demeanour epitomises the values of the modern-day footballer and draws attention to the status of footballers as role models to young Australians. It covers Australia’s four major football codes: the men’s and women’s National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), the A-League (Football) and Rugby Union’s Super Rugby competition. NRL player Shaun Kenny-Dowall won the inaugural medal in 2015, while NRL star Ezra Mam is the most recent recipient.
Radley has been suspended for 10 matches without pay after revelations that he requested an illegal substance from former teammate Brandon Smith. Even though Radley has not been accused of any wrongdoing, he was still suspended and fined $30,000. Smith, meanwhile, is still under investigation.
Radley would become the second player from the Roosters (regarded by many as NRL royalty due to their deep pockets and ability to recruit elite players) and the first England representative, to win The Frownlow Medal.
The fearless forward has been suspended not because of any proven crime, but because he brought the Roosters into disrepute. He’s one of the few NRL players who can spell disrepute due to his history with Australia’s most prestigious sporting award.
In 2021, he earned his first nominations for tackling a man on the street late one night in Byron Bay and soon after was kicked off a domestic flight for alleged drunken behaviour.
This occurred before Radley committed to England was still eligible to play for NSW in the State of Origin. He ruined that opportunity when he was issued with a suspended fine after being caught on camera performing a lewd act on Blues teammate Joseph Suaalii in the changerooms. He waited for the cameras to focus on him, then mimicked an explicit hand gesture on Suaalii before reeling away laughing.
He earned yet another Frownlow nomination for performing the Liverpool kiss in Manchester, England. He was accused of headbutting Ireland player James Bentley and was investigated by the by the NRL.
With this much class and sophistication, no wonder Radley had to play for England.
Image: Getty Images
The Frownlow Medal 