Latest news with #SydneyRoosters
7NEWS
10 hours ago
- Health
- 7NEWS
Sydney Roosters star Victor Radley never considered retirement after latest concussion
Victor Radley did not give retirement a moment's thought when he was sidelined with his latest concussion lay-off, even as he was overwhelmed by people weighing in about his health. The Sydney Roosters forward has sported headgear for his two NRL games since returning from a second game-ending head knock this year and seventh from the past four seasons. He is set to miss this week's clash against Melbourne with a minor shoulder injury but does not expect to spend long on the sidelines. Radley needed almost a month to recover from the latest head knock - up from the 11 days for game-ending head knocks mandated by the NRL - and has been consulting extensively with experts. He has reported no recurring symptoms since the latest setback. 'I've been completely fine so I'm really positive,' Radley told the media launch for Saturday's Beer Footy Food Festival at Henson Park. 'I've been working really hard on some little things that the doctors and the professors gave me. But other than that, I haven't had one issue.' The latest head knock triggered public debate as to the playing future of Radley, who has one of the NRL's most extensive concussion histories. Radley has become used to people stopping him in the street to weigh in; he understands it, but it can be a lot for the 27-year-old to handle. 'Everyone has got their opinions which is a good thing because a lot of people will come up to me and make sure that I'm all right,' he said. 'It's all coming from a good place, but it can overwhelm me a little bit, when every single person you speak with says 'Mate, make sure you look after yourself'. 'I see the best in the business with this stuff and they fill me with positivity. That's all that matters to me, to only care about the opinions of people who know what they're talking about.' It's why Radley had no thought of hanging up the boots when he went down with his latest head knock. 'I haven't thought about retiring, but I'm not scared to, either,' he said. 'I'm a carpenter and a builder by trade. I'm not thinking about retirement, but it's not because I'm worried about it. It's not my time now.' Radley left Friday's loss to Cronulla with a recurring shoulder issue and will miss Thursday's intriguing clash against top-four hopefuls Melbourne. But he doubted he'd be sidelined long-term as the Roosters hope to keep pace with their rivals for a top-eight berth. 'It's no problem at all,' he said. 'I've been managing it for the past few years. It's not like I need surgery, but you've just got to keep your strength up. 'It happened pretty early in the first half, but I came off and let myself cool down and didn't quite keep it as warm as I should have.'
News.com.au
11 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Len Ikitau desperate to help Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii ‘pull the trigger' against the British and Irish Lions
Wallabies centre Len Ikitau says it's up to him to provide the platform for prized recruit Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to terrorise the British and Irish Lions at the MCG on Saturday night. Down 1-0 in the three-Test series, the Wallabies can't afford another defeat if they want the following weekend's clash in Sydney to be more than a dead rubber. To level the series in Melbourne, the Wallabies need to find a way to get golden boy Suaalii – who switched codes last year on a multimillion-dollar deal after starring in the NRL for the Sydney Roosters – more involved in the game than he was in Australia's 27-19 first Test loss at Suncorp Stadium. 'I felt like I didn't really get him into the game as early as I wanted, but that's a lot of learnings I can take moving forward,' Ikitau said in discussing the need for his partner in the centres to get more of the ball. 'We've only played a handful of games together, but it's just trying to understand in what places he likes to get the ball, and feeding off each other. 'We've been going hard at training, making sure we know what we want as a centre pairing, and going off that.' Ikitau said it was also up to Suaalii, as well as himself, to 'go looking for the ball'. 'We can't sit on the edge and expect the ball will come, because sometimes the way the game's played, it doesn't really get to an edge,' he said. 'It's not like rugby league. He doesn't have to stay on the left side. He can roam around and get into the ruck or close to the ruck if he has to, to get a touch and be in the game.' 'I know that he's just a freak of an athlete and he can step up to the occasion, and just play his footy. 'It's just being able to pull the trigger when then opportunity comes, and just being able to back our opportunity to pull the trigger.' Ikitau, who made his Test debut in 2021 and has played 41 times for the Wallabies, felt it was also his responsibility to 'help' young flyhalf Tom Lynagh, who has just four appearances for Australia under his belt. 'I feel like I need to help Tommy. Tommy's only played a handful of games for the Wallabies, and it's just making sure he's got someone that he can rely on, and be comfortable with, and then just being able to flow and get the rest of the backline into the game,' Ikitau said. 'It's just giving Tommy the confidence to play his game and just backing him. We've got to back the young buck and let him play his game.'
News.com.au
12 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘I'm not thinking about retirement': Victor Radley sets the record straight on concussion fears
Sydney Roosters enforcer Victor Radley is confident he'll be fit to face the Storm on Thursday night but will need to see how his shoulder feels over the next few days as he revealed he has no plans on retiring soon despite concerns over his concussion history. Radley came off late against the Sharks with a shoulder concern but is adamant it's not something to worry about. 'It's all good. It's just shoulder issues I've had previously that I was working through,' he said. 'I've been managing it for the past few years. It's not like I need surgery, but you've just got to keep your strength up. It's my right shoulder that I've had issues with, but this time it was my left. It's no problem at all. 'It happened pretty early in the first half, but I came off and let myself cool down and didn't quite keep it as warm as I should have. It was a little bit dead on me, but it's no problem.' The Cronulla game was his second one back after he missed a month of footy following his latest head knock. The Roosters lock was forced from the field against the Knights in round 15 and did not return, with data showing he's has seven concussion or failed head injury assessments in the past four seasons. The club has always looked after its players when it comes to brain health which is why they were in no rush to bring him back, but Radley insists he's fine. Victor Radley has failed his HIA & won’t return - will enter the NRL’s concussion protocols with associated 11 day stand down. Radley has had 7 concussions/failed HIA’s in the past 4 seasons. He’s also undergone 5 HIA’s this year and failed 2 of them. Hope he’s OK. — NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) June 14, 2025 'The head is really good,' he said. 'I've been working really hard on some little things that the doctors and the professors gave me. But other than that, I haven't had one issue. 'Even since then, I've had minor knocks and not one symptom (as a result). I've been completely fine so I'm really positive. 'I've learnt some lessons over the past 12 months, especially at the start of the year with how to deal with it all. 'Everyone has got their opinions which is a good thing because a lot of people will come up to me and make sure that I'm all right. 'It's all coming from a good place, but it can overwhelm me a little bit when every single person you speak with says 'mate, make sure you look after yourself'. 'I see the best in the business with this stuff and they fill me with positivity. That's all that matters to me – to only care about the opinions of people who know what they're talking about. Everyone else is to just keep them happy.' Retirement has been suggested by some people not in his inner circle, and while it's not something he's considering right now, he says he has things in place to ensure he's ready to look after his young family when he eventually hangs up the boots. 'No one ever really comes up to me and says 'you should retire',' he said. 'Maybe there's some stuff in the media, but I just brush that. It's just the people who come up to me and say 'mate, look after yourself. You've got a family'. I think I do know that I've got a family. 'It's all coming from such a good place that I thank them and put it to the backburner. 'I haven't thought about retiring, but I'm not scared too, either. I'm a carpenter and a builder by trade. I'm not thinking about retirement, but it's not because I'm worried about it. It's not my time now.'
The Age
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Age
Cross-code star almost salvages Broncos comeback, as battle for signatures loom
Broncos rugby union convert Kerri Johnson has vowed to make her NRLW crossover a long-term project, despite once harbouring a desire to represent New Zealand at the Women's Rugby World Cup in 2029. The Brisbane flyer, making just her third rugby league appearance, scored in the corner for her third try of the season to keep her side in the hunt with two minutes remaining, before ultimately suffering a 30-26 defeat to the Sydney Roosters on Sunday. The 22-year-old, who jumped to the 13-woman code after plying her trade for the Auckland Blues and Melbourne Rebels, came up with her third line-break of the afternoon in the lead up to her try, with five-eighth Gayle Broughton then drawing a sin binning from Roosters star Jessica Sergis. Johnson, who finished with 159 running metres and five tackle busts, is joined at the Broncos by former union and rugby sevens stars Shalom Sauaso, who missed the clash with a sternum injury, Skyla Adams, Broughton and Azalleyah Maaka. But while she admitted she felt some allure to the possibility of representing the Black Ferns at the World Cup, and even featuring at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, Johnson now envisioned an extensive tenure in the NRLW. Loading 'I was just watching it [the NRLW], and it looked a bit more like the way I like to play, a bit more running it up and a bit more space too than in union,' Johnson told this masthead. 'NRLW is definitely something I want a long-term shot at, but I'm always open to anything really. I'd been in sevens for a couple of years, just with the New Zealand development team going overseas, and [the Olympics] was definitely something on my radar. 'Coming off the back four and running straight into the middles on the opposite team is definitely different for me. I think I'm adjusting to it pretty quickly, it's a similar sport to union – just [slightly] different roles – so I'm definitely adjusting pretty quick.'
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Cross-code star almost salvages Broncos comeback, as battle for signatures loom
Broncos rugby union convert Kerri Johnson has vowed to make her NRLW crossover a long-term project, despite once harbouring a desire to represent New Zealand at the Women's Rugby World Cup in 2029. The Brisbane flyer, making just her third rugby league appearance, scored in the corner for her third try of the season to keep her side in the hunt with two minutes remaining, before ultimately suffering a 30-26 defeat to the Sydney Roosters on Sunday. The 22-year-old, who jumped to the 13-woman code after plying her trade for the Auckland Blues and Melbourne Rebels, came up with her third line-break of the afternoon in the lead up to her try, with five-eighth Gayle Broughton then drawing a sin binning from Roosters star Jessica Sergis. Johnson, who finished with 159 running metres and five tackle busts, is joined at the Broncos by former union and rugby sevens stars Shalom Sauaso, who missed the clash with a sternum injury, Skyla Adams, Broughton and Azalleyah Maaka. But while she admitted she felt some allure to the possibility of representing the Black Ferns at the World Cup, and even featuring at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, Johnson now envisioned an extensive tenure in the NRLW. Loading 'I was just watching it [the NRLW], and it looked a bit more like the way I like to play, a bit more running it up and a bit more space too than in union,' Johnson told this masthead. 'NRLW is definitely something I want a long-term shot at, but I'm always open to anything really. I'd been in sevens for a couple of years, just with the New Zealand development team going overseas, and [the Olympics] was definitely something on my radar. 'Coming off the back four and running straight into the middles on the opposite team is definitely different for me. I think I'm adjusting to it pretty quickly, it's a similar sport to union – just [slightly] different roles – so I'm definitely adjusting pretty quick.'
