Raiders coach Ricky Stuart was understandably short with reporters in a press conference that lasted just two minutes after his side were bundled out of the finals by the Sharks — with NRL greats noting that he was fuming, and uncharacteristically unwilling to praise the efforts of his players.
A season that looked so promising a fortnight ago ended on Saturday, with the Raiders becoming the first minor premiers since the 2009 Dragons to be knocked out in straight sets.
Watch every game of the NRL Telstra Premiership Finals Series before the Grand Final, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
Stuart wasn’t in a chatty mood, but did concede his side were “outplayed by the better team”.
WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
“We were good for the first 38 minutes of the first half and started well in the second half, but then the momentum changed and Cronulla were very good in the back end of the second half,” Stuart said.
In a huge blow the morning of the game, Raiders star Ethan Strange was ruled out with illness.
Stuart didn’t elaborate when asked about the late scratching.
“I’m not blaming that,” he said.
Some wondered leading into the game if Canberra might be flat after last weekend’s emotional rollercoaster of a golden point loss to the Broncos.
Fox League’s Cooper Cronk said post-game that he believed the toll of the Brisbane clash affected Canberra against the Sharks.
When Stuart was asked if his team had run out gas, he mumbled, “I don’t know”, while barely answering other questions.
Fitzy on Raiders: “Best team all year” | 08:25
MORE NRL NEWS
TALKING PTS: ‘Smartest in a long time’ – Ivan’s finals masterstroke; clutch query
‘RIP UP HIS CONTRACT’: How Robbo saved Radley from axe amid Roosters sanctions
CRAWLS: Glaring question facing under-fire halves as delusional star ignores truth
However, captain Joe Tapine didn’t believe the week-one heartbreaker was an excuse.
“I thought the first 35 minutes we were on. A couple of bad decisions let them back in the game,” Tapine said.
“I think mentally we had to switch back on.”
If you had told Raiders fans before the season started that the Green Machine would end up in the semi-finals, the majority would’ve been rapt, given the amount of inexperience and low expectations on the team.
For that reason, Stuart is taking plenty of positives out of the campaign, despite the disappointing way it ended.
“It’s been a very positive season. They’ve come a long way,” Stuart said.
“As I just said to them the better you get, the more you get hunted and we did tonight. We got beaten by a better footy team.”
Heartbreaking! Raiders OUT straight sets | 04:08
The Fox League panel analysed Stuart’s brief address, with the consensus that he was fuming at the manner of the loss.
“A very, I would say, angry and frustrated — and short — Ricky Stuart. Not much to say, didn’t respond too much at all to the journalists asking him questions,” Bulldogs premiership winner Braith Anasta observed.
Roosters premiership winner Bryan Fletcher, who lifted the trophy with Stuart in 2002, added: “I think he was just disappointed in the effort. It just seems that he was biting his tongue a bit.
“Because usually he’s quite affable in talking about his players and how proud he is of them. And he should be, because as he said, they’ve come a long way. But he was quite angry.”
Storm and Roosters champion Cooper Cronk said: “He’s one of the coaches who gives a little during his press conferences, like if someone asks a question, he’ll put some words to it, some thoughts. He normally speaks very highly about his team and how they’ve managed the season, and rightly so.
“But tonight, you could see he was just dejected, like that loss just took everything out of him. Because they were the best team all year and they just fell over, two losses in a row at home when it could have been something completely different.”
Discussion about this post