The Roosters have “sent shockwaves” through the NRL after handing down “hefty” sanctions to Victor Radley — but was the penalty enough after Nick Politis’ comments earlier this year?
Radley has been handed a 10-match suspension without pay, while he will also make a $30,000 donation to St Vincent’s Hospital in the wake of his text message scandal.
The Roosters star was caught up in former teammate Brandon Smith’s fight against allegations he disclosed inside knowledge for betting and supplied cocaine.
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Speaking on NRL360, veteran journalist Dean Ritchie was of the belief Tricolours bosses had put a “line in the sand” and could have set a precedent for clubs to follow in the future.
“The Roosters have, whether it was deliberate or not, sent shockwaves through the NRL,” Ritchie said on Thursday night.
“With this suspension, whether it’s excessive or not, this is a heavy line in the sand. Every player at every club will be looking at it very closely.
“Thinking I am a professional athlete, if I want to go down this path, whether it be to snort drugs, buy, text, whatever it may be, this is the consequences.
‘Will be people thinking it’s not enough | 01:17
“So the Roosters have probably done the whole competition an enormous favour.”
Fox League’s Paul Crawley also added: “They have put it on the map, when it comes to putting stupid stuff in text messages. Whether it be the messages from Radley to Smith, or Smith about the betting.
“This stuff, it’s a message to every young kid to put your phones away and don’t do it.”
However, questions have emerged regarding whether the sanctions were fitting after Politis laid down his own line in the sand.
“My view is if somebody’s caught doing cocaine or leaning over snorting something, we’re going to get rid of them,” Politis told Code Sports.
“Our stance is zero tolerance. We are very strong on it. Trent (Robinson) is very strong on it.”
In the wake of Radley’s alleged text messages emerging, reports surfaced the English international was set to be sacked by the Roosters.
Roosters have ‘drawn a line in the sand’ | 00:54
However, the Tricolours and Politis instead opted to hand their star enforcer a mammoth suspension and a fine — with his comments not set to be “used against him”.
“It’s pretty hefty sanctions obviously… but we have got to be honest there’s going to be people out there who think it’s not enough given Nick’s comments earlier this year,” The Australian’s Brent Read said.
“If Nick had his time over again, he didn’t imagine when he made those comments it would be used against him in terms of a player like Victor Radley.
“A loyal servant to that club, a local junior and I am happy with where they have arrived. Because I think Victor deserves a bit of leeway because of his service to that footy club.
“But there’s going to be people out there, no doubt about it that go well you said something, and now you’ve changed your tune.”
Read was also of the belief Radley would have outlined the situation to Politis, after he returned from his European holiday.
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“Nick Politis is the boss of that club, there’s been conversations held indoors and they know exactly what would have gone on,” Read said.
“That’s why they have come out with the punishment. I’m not saying it’s a light punishment, all I’m saying Nick was the one that put it out there.
“That will be the criticism coming from other people within the game. Do I think it’s a heavy punishment? Bloody oath I do.”
Meanwhile, Read also argued that had a player of lesser stature in the game been involved in the alleged text messages, that player would have been sacked.
“I’ll ask this question, if it was player 28 in the roster, would he still be there? Or would he get sacked? I don’t have a problem because players always get treated differently,” he said.
“Star players get treated differently, if it was player 28 he’d be gone? I’m just saying if it was someone else they’d be gone.
“I personally don’t have an issue with the decision they have reached today… I think he deserved another opportunity.
“But there will be other people out there who disagree wholeheartedly and will say the club has bottled it.”
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