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Four times on report; Radley's Origin blow

3 minute read

Sydney Roosters enforcer Victor Radley is facing time on the sidelines after being placed on report four times in Brisbane's stunning NRL upset victory.

VICTOR RADLEY of the Roosters.
VICTOR RADLEY of the Roosters. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Victor Radley is facing bans that could prevent a potential State of Origin debut after being placed on report four times in Brisbane's boilover NRL victory over Sydney Roosters.

The NSW hopeful was sin-binned twice as his Roosters team was upset 34-16 at the SCG on Saturday night - for high contact on Albert Kelly in the first half and on Tevita Pangai Junior in the second.

He was then put on report for the third and fourth times in the second half - once for a high shot on Jamayne Isaako and later for laying a shoulder into Xavier Coates on the ground.

It was a horror night for the Roosters firebrand who has been considered a chance for an Origin debut when the teams are picked at the end of round 12 next Sunday.

The first incident came just 13 minutes in when Radley jumped to put Kelly flat on his back, but his shoulder caught the Broncos half on the chin.

The next came two minutes into the second half when he put a similar shot on Pangai Junior and was marched to the sin bin for the second time.

In the midst of an NRL crackdown on contact with the head and neck and with Origin looming, it could not be poorer timing for Radley.

Coach Trent Robinson was measured in the post-match press conference, saying Radley needs to find a way to play his physical brand of football without going high.

"He was slightly off on the contacts," Robinson said.

"It's trying to work out how to be physical in this game, and you just can't go that high, you've got to make sure you get it lower.

"I don't think there was intent there on any of those."

The already-depleted Roosters will also be sweating over others when the charge sheet comes out on Sunday morning, with Jared Waerea-Hagreaves, Isaac Liu and Joey Manu also placed on report during a bizarre game.

On a night that was supposed to be all about 17-year-old Joseph Suaalii's debut for the Roosters, Brisbane flipped the script to claim only their third win in 11 rounds.

A week after the Broncos conceded 50 points to Manly, they sprung the upset of the season against the Roosters, who have outscored them 117-12 in their past two games.

Despite a stunning first-half performance from James Tedesco to lay on three tries, the Roosters trailed 16-14 at halftime and couldn't fight back in a disrupted contest.

Recalled halfback Kelly could prove the key Broncos have been missing all season after his performance in the most unlikely of wins.

The 30-year-old had not played NRL in seven seasons but his experience added spark to the Broncos attack, while fellow veteran David Mead scored a hat-trick of tries.

Matt Lodge and Tyson Gamble were both sin-binned towards the end of the match, leaving the Broncos to polish off their third win of the season with just 11 players on the field.

"We were hurting a lot from what happened last week in Magic Round," coach Kevin Walters said.

"This is really what I expect from them more than anything else."

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