Sydney Roosters lock forward Victor Radley has revealed club coach Trent Robinson was left frustrated over his sin bin against the Melbourne Storm, but acknowledged his improvement in the area.
Radley was sent to the sin bin for ten minutes after a late shot on Cameron Munster during a loss against the Storm on Thursday night.
The Storm would score while he was in the sin bin and extend the lead before halftime, ultimately kicking clear with a comfortable win that has raised plenty of questions over the Roosters' prospects for the 2023 campaign.
Radley, speaking on Triple M Radio said he has been working hard on his emotional control in recent times, but admitted the sin bin cost his team.
He said Robinson acknowledged his improvement in the area though.
“I've been working hard on it for probably the last two seasons now, my emotional control, he kind of pulled me aside and said ‘that was stupid', which it was,” Radley said on Triple M.
“That can't happen, I can't end up sitting inside for 10 minutes and leaving us down to 12 men, it is as simple as that.
“Not much else he can really say, but he did say ‘keep doing what you are doing, keep working hard at what you are doing because you are improving'.
“It was good for him to say that to me yesterday in review, so that's what I am going to do.”
Radley, who was fined for the incident but escaped a suspension, could be seen as having plenty of ground to go in improving his on-field discipline.
The comments from Robinson regarding his improvement - both publically and privately - could come as something of a surprise.
Zero Tackle analysis shows Radley has now been sent to the sin bin on six occasions in his last 37 games, compared to only once in the first 64 games of his career.
The lock forward, who represented England at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, admitted the sin binning was hard to watch as Melbourne put two tries on while he was off the park.
“It is really difficult, you have got to sit in the sheds by yourself and unfortunately watch two tries put against us when we were down to 12 men, you are really responsible for that,” Radley said.
“It's difficult I tried to sort of wipe it and worry about my job and try make up for it in any way I can, but it wasn't the case, we started poor in the second half too.”
Replay footage showed Radley took at least two steps between the time Munster passed the ball and the time Radley made contact with the Melbourne half, and the Roosters' lock labelled the contact as 'lazy.'
“It is hard, definitely need to find a way not to touch Munster there, I understand where the rule lies there,” Radley said.
“Like you said I was king of cover tackling without making excuses, I was sort of looking to tackle him with my right shoulder, but as he passed even I relaxed a bit but laziness and fatigue, I didn't shorten my feet and make sure I got out of the way.
“I bumped into him in a lazy form… it is difficult, it happens really quickly.
“I have been working so hard mentally and physically to make sure that these things don't happen and when something like that does happen it is really disappointing.
“It cost us the game in the end because it was hard to come back from that point, but I'm working hard on it.”
Radley's lack of suspension means he will be free to line up for the Roosters, who have won three of five games this season, when they take on the Cronulla Sharks away from home in a blockbuster next weekend.
