Determined Roosters Fight Back Against the Knights as Victor Radley Suffers Another Concussion

Victor Radley will once again comply with the stand-down protocol for concussions this season following a late collision during the first half that forced the Roosters star to leave the field.

It was a concerning moment for Roosters fans and coaching staff as Radley signalled to the trainers from the sideline before making his way down the tunnel for evaluation.

The forward was trying to tackle Newcastle’s rampaging fullback from 15 metres out when his head inadvertently struck the knee of his opponent, Fletcher Hunt.

Radley remained on the ground as Hunt continued his run wide, only getting back to his feet when the Roosters regained possession two tackles later.

Shortly after, he walked to the sideline and exited the pitch.

“He appears to be heading straight into the dressing room,” league legend Steve Roach remarked on Fox League.

After a brief chat with the trainers along the sidelines, Radley walked into the changing rooms where he ultimately failed the head injury assessment.

“This is a significant loss… the Roosters are struggling at the moment,” Roach commented.

The 27-year-old’s absence added to the woes for the Tricolours, who were largely pinned back in their own half throughout the first 40 minutes.

Newcastle enjoyed 61 percent of possession during the first half, with Dylan Lucas initiating an exciting attack early on.

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Lucas broke through a gap between Siua Wong and James Tedesco, charging towards the try line, but Radley managed to halt him just over 10 metres from the line.

A quick play-the-ball was directed left to Newcastle’s Jack Cogger, who delivered a slick pass to Kyle McCarthy, opening the scoring.

Multiple dropped balls and offside calls further unsettled the Roosters’ line, resulting in six penalties and seven errors by the time the 55th minute arrived.

An escort penalty against Roosters player Egan Butcher allowed Newcastle to extend their lead to 8-0.

“It looks like they are struggling around the ruck – they are just being overpowered in tackles,” Roach observed regarding the visiting Roosters.

However, a game-changing try from Salesi Foketi flipped the momentum as the Roosters managed their first points, bringing the score to 8-6 in the 60th minute.

Wong followed soon after, adding another four points in the 70th minute to take a surprising lead from the dominant home side amidst the rain, in an impressive effort to hold onto the ball.

A frantic attacking onslaught from the Knights closed out the match’s final minutes, but it wasn’t enough for them to secure the win in front of their home crowd.