Roosters star Victor Radley gets away with murder in loss to Manly

Roosters star Victor Radley should go out and buy a lottery ticket, because — despite his side’s semi-final loss — it appears to be his lucky day.

Sydney Roosters firebrand Victor Radley has escaped the ire of the match review committee, despite appearing to punch an opposition player during Friday night’s game.

Late in his side’s semi-final loss to Manly, Radley fired up at Sea Eagles forward Sean Keppie in the aftermath of a scrum.

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Footage appeared to show Radley clipping Keppie’s chin as the scrum broke but referee Gerard Sutton allowed play to continue.

Less than ten minutes later, television audio captured Radley warning Keppie to stop pushing his buttons.

“Don’t f***ing go me, c**t,” Radley said.

Referee Gerard Sutton threatened to sin bin both players if they kept lashing out at one another.

“We spoke about it at the last scrum and you said you were going to put a line under it,” he said.

“If you can’t do that I will just put you on the sideline.”

Tensions fizzled out when Keppie was benched for the remainder of the game shortly thereafter.

By defeating the Roosters 42-6, the Sea Eagles have booked a preliminary final date with the Rabbitohs. Image: NRL Photos

The last player to throw a punch on-field was Warriors forward Kane Evans, who did so during a melee in the round 25 clash with Gold Coast.

He was sin-binned and later charged with contrary conduct, rather than striking, and suspended for three games.

The NRL’s Judiciary Code deems striking worthy of at least a two-game ban but the last two players charged with striking (Reece Walsh and Cody Walker in rounds 12 and 4 this season, respectively) missed only one match.

On Saturday, an NRL spokesperson told NCA NewsWire that there was not enough evidence to charge Radley with striking.

“Based on the available angles, the Bunker Review Official and the Match Review Committee were unable to determine if a punch was involved,” a spokesperson said.

Radley has missed a total of eight games this season through suspension.

Most notably, he was rubbed out for five games for making two dangerous tackles in the Roosters’ round 11 loss to Brisbane.

The only player charged from Friday night’s semi-final was Roosters forward Egan Butcher, who has been fined for dangerous contact.