England to pick Radley as Roosters seek salary cap relief

England coach Shaun Wane is adamant he will pick Victor Radley for the Ashes series, while the Roosters are expected to seek salary cap relief for the $150,000 fine they have imposed for his involvement in an alleged drug scandal.

Radley escaped the axe, but has accepted a club-imposed 10-game suspension without pay and agreed to donate $30,000 to St Vincent’s Hospital after he was implicated in a Queensland Police investigation that led to former teammate Brandon Smith facing a drug supply charge.

Roosters chairman Nick Politis gave serious consideration to tearing up Radley’s contract after previously stating the Roosters had a “zero tolerance” approach to recreational drug use. The incident cast doubt over whether Radley would be considered for the England squad to take on Australia in the first Kangaroos tour to take place in more than two decades.

But after conferring with the Rugby Football League - the governing body of the English game - Wane will pick Radley in his squad for the Ashes.

Victor Radley in England colours in 2022.Credit: PA Images via Getty Images

“Absolutely. He’s a fantastic member of our squad, very popular,” Wane said.

“He’s been dealt with by the Roosters and we move on. When we select the squad, he’s going to be a big boost to everybody.

“We’re happy at this end. We need to be very strong as a squad when Australia come here. He makes us stronger.”

Wane said he had no qualms about selecting Radley after speaking to the embattled forward.

“Victor is a really nice guy,” Wane said. “He’s messed up and he’s been dealt with. But he’s a great guy, very popular, I have a lot of respect for him. We move on.”

Asked if he was concerned about Radley’s availability after news broke of his involvement in the incident, Wane said: “I’m a very positive person, I don’t dwell on things. When something happens we deal with it and move on.

“In saying that, he’s very popular. What he does off the field, the way he behaves with his positive spirit, he’s a real asset to our squad. He’s a big part of what we do. I’m sure everything is now sorted and we can move on.”

The NRL will consider an application for salary cap relief, a move which could result in the Roosters having up to $150,000 to spend on other players. Radley’s $30,000 charity contribution is also tax deductible.

Former Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis, the principal of Brydens Lawyers, felt the Roosters would be on shaky ground if they had opted to sack Radley.

“I suspect strongly that the Roosters took some legal advice at the time,” Hagipantelis told SEN on Friday morning.

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“It seems to me, putting aside the legalities, that the club has come to some sort of agreement so they can put this behind them. From a legal perspective … there is a very tenuous connection between the statement - which concerned media speculation and allegations - and then imposing such a sanction on an employee for allegations that are to be established.

“He hasn’t admitted anything to the club. It’s a very tenuous connection to what was provided in that statement and the sanction. If Victor did not accept it, if challenged in the court of law, in my view it would not withstand a lot of scrutiny.”

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