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Roosters coach Trent Robinson was “very frustrated” but refused to publicly lambast firebrand star Victor Radley for a costly mistake that helped Melbourne to a big win.
The Storm ran out 28-8 victors at AAMI Park on Thursday night, but the runaway began when the Chooks were in front 8-6 midway through the first half.
Radley rushed out of the defensive line to put pressure on opposition five-eighth Cameron Munster, but ended up putting the shoulder into his opponent well after the latter had passed the ball.
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Radley was rightly sin-binned by referee Ashley Klein for what Cameron Smith labelled a “lazy” play.
“You can’t do that. That was late. It’s just silly,” Andrew Johns said on Nine.
“You see Munster passes, (then) he relaxes.”
Melbourne great Billy Slater reckoned it could have warranted a send off.
”He’s lucky it was just 10 minutes in the bin,” Slater said.
“That was really late and there was no attempt to tackle.”
His Chooks were leading 8-6, but in the time the feisty lock was off the field Melbourne struck twice, through Nick Meaney and then Munster.
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Meaney converted both tries and by the time Radley’s punishment was up, the Storm led 18-8.
Radley cut a dejected figure when Nine’s cameras spied him in the dressing rooms at half time.
Roosters coach ‘frustrated’ by Radley bin
“I think the Roosters will be frustrated. He threw a forward pass just before this,” Brad Fittler said.
After the game – which the Roosters lost badly – Robinson was asked if the sin-bin frustrated him.
“Very. Really frustrated,” Robinson said.
“We got some things (sent) out this week from the NRL… you can’t do that. If that happened to (Luke Keary) I would be really frustrated.
“It wasn’t necessary. And it wasn’t the end of the world at the same time.”
Robinson was given the chance to give Radley a public smack-down, but the coach opted to instead back his player.
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Radley has a history of foul play which has landed him several sin-bins and suspensions in the past.
“I want him to fix it, but not dwell on it,” Robinson said.
“He’s made some really good progressions this year, so he’s not going to go back to zero on the stuff that he’s got under control.
“He’s playing good minutes, he’s got good time, he has good vision of play.
“He made a mistake there, but we won’t dwell on it for too long.”
The Roosters play the Sharks next week, while the Storm travel north for the famed Battle of Brookvale against Manly
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