The Tackle: Fears for Victor Radley’s NRL future following seventh concussion in four years

Immortal Andrew Johns believes the tough Roosters forward Victor Radley needs to be saved from himself after suffering a seventh concussion in four years.

Fatima Kdouh reveals her likes and dislikes from round 15 of the NRL season, highlighting fears for one of the game’s great warriors.

ROUND 15 DISLIKES

RADLEY FEARS

Immortal Andrew Johns believes the tough Roosters forward Victor Radley needs to be saved from himself.

It’s hard not to admire the uncompromising toughness in which Radley plays but it is also getting as hard to watch the tough forward go down with yet another head knock.

Radley failed a second HIA for the season in Saturday’s win over the Knights, making it his seventh concussion in four years.

“It’s a real worry for Vic, the Roosters are leading the competition for how they handle head knocks, they retired Boyd Cordner and Jake Friend early,” Johns said on Channel 9.

“First thing is the health of the players and you have to take it out of the player’s hand, especially someone like Victor.

Victor Radley suffered his second concussion this year. Picture: NRL Photos

“Tackling low, there’s worry about hitting players high but the problem is we are encouraging players to go low and that is where you are picking up all your concussion defensively.

“He’s got a flaw in his technique (in that) he’s a million miles an hour, he tries to smash everyone. We love the way he plays, but this is the problem.”

Radley will miss this week’s clash against the Cowboys but this latest head knock has naturally raised concerns about the immediate playing future of the English international.

Coach Trent Robinson assured Radley, who will get an extended break on the back of the Roosters’ Round 17 bye, would get the right care before being cleared to the field.

MULITALO’S FINE LINE

Cronulla’s Ronaldo Mulitalo can’t help but walk a fine line.

The Sharks were denied a try in the seventh minute in Thursday’s win over the Dragons on the back of an unnecessary foul by Mulitalo.

Rather than contest a high kick against Kyle Flanagan, Mulitalo opted to shove the Dragons halfback out of the way.

“He comes in and shoulders Flanagan... he’s such a great athlete Ronaldo, I don’t I don’t whether he needed to do that at all, he was going to get above Flanagan,” Michael Ennis pointed out on Fox League.

The silly move did not impact the result with Cronulla going on to a 30-18 win but in a tighter game it could have been the difference.

NRL rd 15 Sharks bump

SLOAN’S SLIDE

The Dragons might have the bye but under-fire star Tyrell Sloan looks set for a stint in NSW Cup this week.

Sloan was re-called into Shane Flanagan’s outfit against Cronulla after the back was axed in Round 14.

But the 23-year-old once again had an unhappy night under the high-ball on Thursday night.

“Confidence is probably something he is down on at the moment, he’s got to find it,” Flanagan said

“(NSW Cup) is an option, we are just short at the moment.

“We have got Mat Feagai, Christian Tuipulotu, Corey Allan, three centre wingers that are out injured. Two in Feagai and CT are probably our starting wingers.”

Tyrell Sloan is under serious pressure to keep his place. Picture: Fox League

Injuries might keep Sloan in the Dragons outfit for their next start against the Eels but the fact Flanagan prefers Feagai and Tuipulotu, when fit, raises questions about where Sloan fits in the backline equation.

Sloan hits the open market in five months and could be headed for an exit, given Clint Gutherson is unlikely to relinquish the fullback - Sloan’s preferred position - role anytime soon.

SEA EAGLES CLIPPED

Manly have an attitude problem that not even Daly Cherry-Evans finally making a definitive call on his future will fix.

The Sea Eagles have slumped to seven losses from 11 games since the skipper dropped a bombshell in March, announcing his intention to walk out on the club at the end of the season.

It makes it pretty easy to point the finger at Cherry-Evans, and easier still to forget that it was the club’s management that dropped the ball during contract negotiations.

Cherry-Evans is said to be close to finalising a deal with the Sydney Roosters and there are calls for the veteran halfback to make a decision for the sake of Manly’s season.

Daly Cherry-Evans can’t be blamed for Manly’s defensive woes. Picture: Scott Gardiner/Getty Images

But the future of Cherry-Evans doesn’t explain Manly’s hapless performance against the bottom-placed Titans on Friday night.

Manly missed 34 tackles and the forwards were beaten by a Titans pack missing their two main men in Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Moe Fotuaika.

The lack of intent in defence is an attitude problem and that’s not on Cherry-Evans.

Even if his decision to leave the club is the genesis of any attitude issues, it’s coach Anthony Seibold to galvanise the playing group.

To Seibold’s credit he admitted as much after the clash.

Manly have a bye this week before a two-month run which includes South Sydney, Storm, Bulldogs and Raiders. It leaves Seibold facing two missed finals series in his three seasons in charge.

Making matters worse, the Sea Eagles are facing an extended stint without the rampaging Haumole Olakau’atu who suffered a dislocated shoulder against the Titans.

Isaiya Katoa is in a purple patch. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

While Seibold is searching for a response from his outfit, in Redcliffe Isaiya Katoa is making a mockery – in the best possible way – of the Dolphins decision to pursue Cherry-Evans.

Since Cherry-Evans confirmed he has spoken to the Dolphins in May, Katoa has been in a purple patch of form guiding the Dolphins to five wins from six games.

Rather than kicking stones at the prospect of the club’ signing another halfback, Katoa has responded in exactly the way coach Kristian Woolf would have wanted.

Katoa, who was in fine touch again in the Dolphins’ 58-4 win over the Cowboys, is now leading the NRL for try-assists and looks set to guide the fledgling club to its first finals appearance.

ROUND 15 LIKES

KILLER DOLPHINS

Isaiya Katoa is stealing the limelight but the Dolphins hard edge in defence in recent weeks also deserves some praise.

Nothing encapsulated it more than Kurt Donoghoe’s bone rattling hit on Cowboys centre Zac Laybutt.

The Dolphins have piled on 158 points in three-weeks but only conceded 18.

Missing Daniel Saifiti, Tom Flegler and Tom Gilbert to injury, Kristian Woolf’s side is unfancied on paper.

They’ll take on Knights without Felise Kaufusi (suspension) but Woolf will be confident that the likes of Donoghoe, Francis Molo, Mark Nicholls and Kulikefu Finefeuiaki can get the job done yet again.

NRL rd 15 Dolphins tackle

The Dolphins are only conceding an average of 18.7 points per game, one point less per than the best defensive team in the competion the Bulldogs.

With two byes in hand, all roads point to the Dolphins potentially being the only Queensland team to play finals this year.

The side’s form is also serving as a timely lesson to star-studded big brother, the Brisbane Broncos.

That effort trumps talent, and right now the Dolphins are oozing it.

TITANS RESPOND

It’s always a risky move for an under-fire coach to turn the blowtorch on his players, like Des Hasler did last week after the Titans’ loss to the Broncos.

But Hasler’s troops responded to being called out with an enthusiastic win over the Sea Eagles.

It’s a flicker of hope - that there is some life left in the Titans and faith left in Hasler as their leader.

Without enforcers Fa’asuamaleaui and Fotuaika, who are on Queensland duty, the likes of Jaimin Jolliffe, Klese Haas and Beau Former took on the contest head-on.

AJ Brimson started the season at five-eighth but again against Manly showed his best position in this Titans out is at fullback. He finished with 247 run metres, four tackle busts, two line-breaks and a try assist.

It’s a selection headache Hasler won’t have to deal with right now, given Keano Kini (neck) is out until at least Round 21,

Back-to-back wins against an Eels side without first choice halves Mitchell Moses (calf) and Dylan Brown (suspension) should quiet the noise coming out of the Gold Coast, for now.

Originally published as The Tackle: Fears for Victor Radley’s NRL future following seventh concussion in four years