RADLEY SHARES DEVASTATING FAMILY NEWS AS DRUG SCANDAL AFTERMATH ROCKS ROOSTERS STAR
Sydney Roosters star Victor Radley has opened up about devastating family fallout from his recent 10-match ban, revealing he has been forced to call off his upcoming wedding and saying the toll on his loved ones has hit him harder than the record sanction itself.
The 27-year-old, who has endured a turbulent 12 months marked by community trauma and off-field controversy, spoke publicly this week about the financial and emotional weight of the club’s heaviest-ever penalty. “Missus isn’t too happy – and I don’t blame her,” Radley said, his voice heavy with emotion. “We’ve had to put everything on hold, and that’s the part that hurts the most.”
Last week, the Roosters banned Radley without pay for 10 matches and ordered him to donate $30,000 to St Vincent’s Hospital for charity research – a sanction that will see him forfeit around $150,000 of his $750,000 annual salary. There were fears he would be sacked after text messages between Radley and former teammate Brandon Smith were leaked, suggesting the Roosters forward had tried to obtain cocaine while on a golf trip. Smith appeared in Queensland’s Southport Magistrates Court last week charged with drug supply, but Radley is not the subject of any police investigation and no allegations of wrongdoing have been made against him.
The financial hit has forced Radley to cancel his wedding to fiancée Taylah, whom he announced he was engaged to in December last year. Adding to the strain, Taylah is now pregnant with their second child – a reminder of the family future that hangs in the balance as he navigates the aftermath of the scandal.
The news comes just 18 months after Radley was deeply affected by the Bondi Junction stabbing tragedy in April 2024, when his partner and their first baby were in the area the day before the attack. At the time, he shared emotional tributes to the victims and spoke about the profound impact the incident had on him and the local community – a moment that saw him hailed as a voice for Bondi’s tight-knit community.
Now, however, headlines have shifted to the off-field controversy that has derailed his season and cast doubt over his immediate future at the club. Despite escaping the axe, Radley admits he feels a deep sense of guilt towards the Roosters and his supporters. “The club stood by me when they could have let me go, and I let them down,” he said. “But more than that, I let my family down – and that’s something I’ll have to work to make right.”
Roosters officials have confirmed they will continue to support Radley through counselling and financial guidance, with the star set to return to the field in early 2026 if he meets the club’s rehabilitation requirements. For now, though, his focus remains on mending relationships and providing for his growing family as they navigate the devastating fallout of his ban.
