Victor Radley has made it clear he is no longer ruling anything out as he prepares to hit the open market for the first time on Sunday. The Roosters forward says he would prefer to stay a one-club player, but with his contract situation changing and family finances now part of the picture, he is open to listening to rival NRL and Super League interest.
That is a significant shift for a player who has spent his entire NRL career with the Roosters and has built his identity around the club. Radley, 28, has won three premierships in a decade at the Roosters and has repeatedly spoken about how much the club means to him, but he now says it is the right moment to assess what comes next.
Radley: “I’m open to everything”
Radley was direct about the stage he is at in his career. “The Roosters are everything I’ve ever known,” he said, while also admitting: “I love the club so much. They’ve done right by me for years.”
At the same time, he acknowledged the reality of being a 28-year-old with a fiancée, two young boys and a mortgage to consider. “The days are gone where I’m living in a two-bedroom unit, having a good time,” he said. “I have two kids, a fiancée, and a house that needs paying off.”
He also pointed to the financial pressures that have shaped his thinking, including a $150,000 penalty from the Roosters at the end of last year for bringing the club into disrepute during a Sunshine Coast golf trip. “I also copped some financial pain at the end of last year,” he said.
Why the market matters now
Radley’s decision comes at a time when movement around the Roosters is already a major talking point, with reported changes involving Mark Nawaqanitawase, Daly Cherry-Evans, Angus Crichton and Spencer Leniu. For a club that has long relied on continuity and standards, the possibility of Radley looking elsewhere adds another layer to the roster picture.
He is still finalising his departure from long-time agent Sam Ayoub before working with a new management team. On Monday, he said he and the new group will sit down and decide what they want to do moving forward. That means the next phase of his career is being shaped not just by rugby league terms, but by family and lifestyle decisions as well.
England, Super League and a wider future
Radley is not limiting himself to one option. He said he is interested in “new experiences”, which could even include living in England and playing in the Super League. He also said he remains keen to represent England in the World Cup, with that selection picture still in the frame as he prepares for Friday night’s match against Papua New Guinea in Wollongong.
There is also a football-side reason why the move away from uncertainty feels logical. Radley said he understood what happened at the start of last year, when he was in a state of chronic fatigue, and believes he has now worked hard to avoid returning to that condition. He pointed to the evidence this year, saying there has been “just the one” head knock.
For the Roosters, the key question is whether this is simply a player exploring his options or the beginning of a genuine departure. For Radley, the answer seems more personal than that. He still loves the club and would prefer to remain a one-club player, but for the first time in his career, he is prepared to let the market decide what happens next.
