Radley, 24, qualifies for England through his father, Nigel, from Sheffield. England are set to face Greece at Bramall Lane on October 29, although Radley grew up supporting the club’s other football club, Sheffield Wednesday.
Radley’s availability for Shaun Wane’s side is a welcome boost after being a member of the Sydney Roosters pack who won back-to-back NRL Grand Finals in 2018 and 2019 and World Cup Challenges in 2019 and 2020.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” Radley said.
“I always wanted to play for England for my dad. Everyone wants to do the right thing for their dad, right?
“Dad is proud of where he comes from, proud of his family, proud to support Sheffield Wednesday.
“It was an instinctive feeling that this is what I wanted to do – and with the World Cup taking place in England at the end of this year, it was now or never.
“If I had ended up sitting there watching the World Cup and knowing that I could have played for England, it wouldn’t have felt good.”
England manager Shaun Wane spent some time in Australia earlier this year and is watching NRL performances as closely as those in the Betfred Super League.
“I’ve always said I’m open to selecting players who want to represent their English heritage – but they have to be exceptional in their position and 100 per cent committed,” said the England manager.
“I think of Victor Radley very highly as a player, and he’s a great addition to the options we have in a position where we have some very strong suitors. We need quality in depth in every position, and Victor is a important addition to this.
“He now joins the group we already have playing in the NRL which will be part of our preparations for the World Cup. We are in regular contact, sharing a lot of information with them, to make sure they are all ready to be part of our team if selected.
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