Ricky Stuart unloaded on his own players in the post-match press conference after Canberra’s second-half collapse against North Queensland on Thursday night.
The Raiders took a 12-0 lead into halftime but failed to register another point as the Cowboys emerged 18-12 victors in the nation’s capital.
Stuart’s side has won just two matches from six to start the season and have now blown seven double digit leads since 2020 — the most out of any team in the NRL in that period.
“The way we started that second half was pathetic,” Stuart said. “I’m sick of defending playing 40 or 50 minutes of football.
“There were some individuals that didn’t start with the way they should have to get us back onto the front foot.
“I’ll deal with that when we get back to work, but it is not on and I’m sick of it.
“There are some individuals who have got to look at themselves because it is not up to NRL standard.
“That is not the standard that we want from our football team.
“We showed what we could do in the first 40 minutes and we were let down by our performance in the second half.
“Blokes have got to have a good hard look at it.”
Ricky Stuart was absolutely filthy. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Stuart knows some of his players like Jack Wighton and captain Elliott Whitehead are aiming up but they aren’t getting enough support.
“I’ve said it before those guys need supporting. There are certain blokes that are not contributing to the standards that they need to contribute to. Simple as that,” Stuart said.
“If I keep sitting here defending them it is not going to solve anything.”
Stuart also bristled at a reporter’s question about a moment in the match involving outside back Xavier Savage, who many view as an excitement machine but hasn’t been a regular first-grader this season.
“Do you think the play from Jordan Rapana when Xavier Savage was injected into the game when Rapana gave Savage the ball for the crucial run back and he was bundled into touch and the Cowboys scored,” the journalist asked.
“Do you hope Jordan Rapana next time takes that hit himself? What did you make of that play?”
Stuart replied: “No, Xavier Savage should have stepped inside mate.
“That’s why Xavier Savage is not playing first grade because he is still learning the game.
“So many of you people want X-factor. So many people want Xavier out there. That is why Xavier hasn’t been playing because he is still learning the awareness of the game.
“But I’m only a dumb coach. Everybody else wants X-factor. Well we haven’t got X-factor at the moment.
“We are still teaching young people how to play footy at an NRL standard. If you are an experienced player you take the inside there. That has got nothing to do with Jordan Rapana.”
“But I’m only a dumb coach" Finally he admits it.
