Victor Radley has missed just two games all year. This is what he changed to stay on the park

Victor Radley has overhauled his training regime and tackling technique, which has allowed him to stay on the field and miss just two games through suspension and concussion this season.

The numbers are impressive when you consider the Roosters enforcer plays big minutes and pours all his energy into defence, which often places him – and his rivals – at risk of injury and head knocks.

He has been suspended 12 times for careless high tackles since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. Of greater concern were the seven concussions or failed head injury assessments he suffered during that period, a record that prompted some to question Radley’s immediate playing future.

But this season he has missed just one game through suspension for a high shot and another due to concussion. Radley failed his HIA after copping a blow while making a desperation tackle in the 79th minute of the Roosters’ 25-24 defeat to Wests Tigers in round 25, which required him to stand down for 11 days under the game’s concussion protocols.

The popular Rooster attributed his mostly clean record and bill of health to working hard over the summer.

“I needed to work on my fitness and my tackle tech (technique) – I’ve felt a million bucks this year compared to last year,” Radley told this masthead, ahead of Friday’s preliminary final against the Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium.

“Heading into the 2025 season, I did too much long-distance running. I was a couple of kilos heavier, and while I never pulled out of a training drill, my legs always felt heavy. I basically had chronic fatigue. I felt terrible, and I couldn’t get out of it until Origin time.

“When you’re tired, that’s when you’re putting yourself into horrible situations on the field. I was diving and making tackles, rather than keeping my feet under me, and when your legs go, that’s when you get the head knocks.

“I sat down at the end of the year and was really clear on what I needed to do. I worked with the performance staff about making sure I moved a lot quicker, and there were less road runs and long-distance stuff.”

Radley, whose shot on Canterbury’s Enari Tuala in round 23 remains one of the hits of the season, blamed himself for being knocked out against the Tigers.

“That was only a little spark, and I tried to jump up too quickly because I knew they were going to try and kick a field-goal,” he said. “Had I taken a breath and taken my time, the [HIA] symptoms would have been a ‘cat-two’.

“I tried to make an under-the-ball tackle and force him [Alex Seyfarth] to drop it. The game was on the line. I shouldn’t have done what I did, but also understand how that head knock came about. I’m not worried about that.”

After enjoying two premierships in his first two full seasons in the NRL, Radley, 28, knows it is special to be in another grand final qualifier.

“The first full year I played we had signed Cooper Cronk and ‘Teddy’ [James Tedesco] and everything went well for us,” Radley said.

“It’s about nailing today, nailing tomorrow, then nailing Friday against the Dolphins. I’m not taking anything for granted.”

Radley becomes a free agent on November 1, but is quick to point out “I’ll sort all that out at the end of the year”.

England and the World Cup awaits next month, when he will be joined by Herbie Farnworth, the Dolphins centre who is in career-best form, and one man who could stop Radley’s pursuit of a third premiership.

It is safe to say Farnworth will know exactly where not to run when he spots Radley in the defensive line.