Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has been hit with a one-week suspension and $25,000 fine by the NRL after he branded Panthers five-eighth Jaeman Salmon a “weak dog”.
Key Points:
- Canberra coach Ricky Stuart has been suspended for a week and personally fined $25,000 by the NRL for calling Panthers five-eighth Jaeman Salmon a “weak dog”.
- Stuart will be banned from having anything to do with the Raiders for seven days and will not coach them against the Dragons on Sunday.
- NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo described Stuart’s comments as “totally unacceptable”
The league has sent Stuart a notice of violation, which he has accepted, with his seven-day suspension to take effect from 4pm on Tuesday.
He has also ordered that Stuart, not the Raiders, must pay the fine personally.
The decision is the first time in NRL history that a coach has been suspended for making comments at a press conference.
“The period of suspension prohibits Stuart from performing any role as head coach of the Raiders, including attending individual or team training sessions or training sessions or at the Raiders’ facilities,” the NRL said in a communicated
“Furthermore, he may not give instructions or instructions to the team, individual players or club officials during the period of suspension, including before, during or after any match within that period.”
That means Stuart will miss Canberra’s game against the Dragons on Sunday and won’t return to the Raiders until next Tuesday.
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo criticized Stuart’s comments, which are believed to have stemmed from an incident between Salmon and Stuart’s son when they were under-12 teammates in 2010.
“Leaders must set the standard in the game. The comments are completely unacceptable from anyone, let alone an official with that experience and position,” Abdo said.
“This is a very unusual case, and we have taken the important step of proposing a suspension of his duties for a week.
“This will be a full suspension, which prevents Ricky from having any involvement with any club activities, either face-to-face or remotely.
“Also, the fine should not be paid by the club but by Ricky himself.”
Earlier, Raiders chief executive Don Furner accepted Stuart had done wrong and said it was important the club supported their long-serving manager.
loading
“It’s like waiting for a player’s suspension … we’ve said publicly that we’ll accept whatever punishment and whatever decision they make and then we’ll go from there,” he told reporters.
“It’s a very public job and it’s a difficult job. He’s obviously very disappointed and embarrassed, and he’s just going to have to put it behind him and move on and we’ll all support him.”
Furner said he had not discussed which assistant coach would fill the lead role for Sunday’s game, but the former Raiders prop is tipped to take on the role.
Canberra skipper Elliott Whitehead also came into bat for Stuart.
“We picked up on him. He had his reasons,” Whitehead told reporters Tuesday.
“I won’t go into it, but we all support Ricky and he knows he probably shouldn’t have said it on this platform.
“He’s upset because he’s let his emotions get the best of him.”
AAP/ABC