Victor Radley blames himself for hospital pass that knocked Luke Keary out

Sydney Roosters enforcer and Blues 19th man Victor Radley went straight to teammate Luke Keary’s house two days after the fellow Rooster was left heavily concussed in a tackle that cost him a NSW jersey.

Victor Radley blames himself for the hospital pass that knocked Luke Keary out of NSW Origin contention.

The Blues’ 19th man concedes it was his “shocker” offload from dummy-half that resulted in Keary being heavily concussed when crunched by Newcastle prop Daniel Saifiti last Friday night.

Radley felt so bad that he visited his Roosters teammate at his home on Monday, only hours after being named in the Blues squad himself.

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Victor Radley blamed himself for Luke Keary’s recent concussion. Picture: Brett Costello

“It was my offload that led to Luke getting clobbered, so I felt pretty average,” Radley told The Saturday Telegraph.

“I got on my motorbike and went and paid Luke a visit. I drove past his place, so I called him and said, ‘Come out the front’.

“He had some headaches but he was in good spirits.

“You just want him to be all right. He is a good friend and a legend bloke.”

The Blues’ 19th man says it was his hospital pass that cost Keary. Picture: Dan Himbrechts

Keary’s concussion in the 38-12 loss to the Knights was his second in five weeks, so the Roosters won’t be rushing their star five-eighth back. He is expected to be out for four to six weeks.

Keary suffered the earlier concussion against Melbourne in round six, which forced him to miss the Anzac Day win over St George Illawarra.

Under the NRL’s concussion protocol, Keary’s history of head knocks means he will require an independent clearance before he is able to play again.

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The 2018 Clive Churchill Medallist was also knocked out when playing for Australia against New Zealand last October and he battled headaches after a broken jaw in last year’s pre-season.

Despite serious concerns with Keary’s latest injury, Radley is confident his Roosters teammate will bounce back.

“He will just get better with time,” he said.

“You just don’t want him to come back too soon and he will do that. He is a smart lad.”

Keary might have been gutted for missing out on Origin I, but Radley revealed the affable Rooster was one of the first people to congratulate him on his own selection.

“That is just the type of person he is. He is a legend.

“I’m sure everything happens for a reason and Luke will get his opportunity.”

Radley also revealed he had planned to spend the bye round renovating his Eastern Suburbs unit with his dad, but that all changed when Brad Fittler called on Monday.

“Dad wasn’t happy,” he said with a grin. “He said, ‘Oh, I’m by myself now.’

“I said, ‘Yep, sucked in.’”