No one can doubt Ricky Stuart’s passion. We love the way he watches most of the game from the sideline, rather than the coaches’ box, and needs to be in among the action.
We love how he celebrates each try with his team.
There is no doubt he is a good coach. However, what also can’t be doubted is a regular blip in the record of the teams he has coached.
Other than Parramatta, where he did not last a season, all his NRL teams have gone deep into the semi-finals when he starts coaching but then, unexpectedly, fallen away. The jury is still out on the Canberra Raiders this year but they are sitting in 10th spot, four points out of the eight with the regular season quickly coming to the business end.
If you look at the Roosters first, Stuart was the head coach from 2002 to 2006. The Roosters beat the Warriors in 2002 to take the title, lost the grand final in 2003 and 2004 and then fell to ninth and 14th in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Although the team had some roster changes over that period, the Roosters squad was strong on paper throughout his five-year tenure and his last two years there were disappointing.
(AAP Image/Action Photographics, Charles Knight)
He then took over at Cronulla, who finished 11th in 2007, lost the grand final qualifier to the Storm in 2008 and finished 15th in 2009 after the Sharks had a horror year marked by scandal after scandal. The Sharks’ 2008 result could be seen as an overachievement, with a strong pack of forwards led by Paul Gallen and Greg Bird perhaps not matched by their backline.
However they learnt how to win ugly and may have gone further if Greg Bird hasn’t been sacked by the club. The scandals hurt, but there’s no doubt those close wins didn’t continue into 2009.
After a break from club coaching to look after NSW, Stuart then took on a three-year coaching role at the Eels in 2013. The Eels had been the wooden spooners in 2012 so he inherited a below average roster. Unfortunately, the Eels won the spoon and Stuart broke his contract to join Canberra.
So, to the Raiders where he has been coach from 2014 to today, Canberra finished 15th in 2014, 10th in 2015 and suffered a tight preliminary final loss to Melbourne in 2016. Many thought that the Raiders, after a great finish to the 2016 season, would go on to win the premiership this year. A narrow win over the Dragons last weekend has kept them in the race, but they are on the brink of missing out in 2017.
(AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
This is not all on Ricky Stuart’s shoulders and the dramas at the Sharks in 2009 were outside Ricky’s control. However, it’s clear that he can get teams to the point of success and then oversee a slide down the ladder with much the same roster.
This can only be put down to Ricky’s intensity. This intensity has led to the Sharks and Raiders climb the ladder significantly but not be able to back up the following year. Perhaps his coaching style can get teams up for one season before mental fatigue kicks in, impacting particularly in close games.
This is shown with Canberra who, despite winning only seven from 17 games this year, have a positive points differential.
If Canberra get on a roll, they can still make the semi-finals this year and, if they do, there will be a lot of teams eager not to play them. However, if they don’t make the semis, questions will again be asked about Ricky Stuart’s coaching.
Mr Brown
Roar Pro
Robbo still has some to prove. Flanno has done exceptionally well and with less than all of the others mentioned.
Mr Brown
Roar Pro
Yep, backs against the wall mentality is not a winners mentality.
Nat
Roar Guru
NOIP, I just re-read that article and comments. Matt owes you a ctn after your prediction. Or at least a dozen. “In 12 months time they will be out of the 8, players released as the salary cap bites.” I will bet you, here, live, in front of millions of witnesses on the Internet, one carton of Four Pines Pale Ale, that this will not happen."
Percy
Guest
if you time the tackles Raiders lay on the tackled player just as much,probably more, the Raiders play for penalties, guess they have to, their coach hasn't got enough skill and nous for game plans that work. RS was always in the ref's face as a player, he is always looking for the sneaky edge guess deep down he knows he is a poor coach
Wayne Turner
Guest
For sure. His "inbred mates" got him his job at Canberra. The good ol' who you know,and not what you know.
Gray-Hand
Guest
Wrestling does not equal cheating.
Taree Raider
Guest
Geoff, I enjoy your comments on the Raiders. I like you get sick of the same old Hymn Sheet that the Raiders are using. Wighton has to go, he is a liability to the team, Joey is not much better this year. Ricky just has to be the coach, stop this, the team is hurting at the result mentality & address the short comings of the team. If that mean dropping players, so be it. If that means playing differently to every other team so be it. The Raiders play their best when they defend like they did against the Storm last night. However in attack be unpredictable, encourage offloads, kick for field position early. Rely on strong defence to upset the opposition. The Raiders don't win when they try to play like everyone else. Look at last season, they missed the grand final by being beaten by 2 by the Storm & Sharks it was that close.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
It's the Stuarts way. First its the refs fault. Then it becomes the players fault. then it becomes the clubs administrations fault for not giving his the resources he needs. It becomes everybody elses fault but his
no one in particular
Roar Guru
I predicted exactly what would happen in my comments there. He didn't want to hear about it
John Harvey
Guest
When are you putting your hat in the ring to coach an NRL side then?
doogs
Guest
could not agree more
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
True - by that time their form slump had tipped them into a deep trough that they have struggled to get out of.
Rob
Guest
Ricky and his siege mentality coaching style is fundamentally floored for long term success. He seems to encourage the us against them mentality by consistently complaining about the officials and other teams unfairly winning. Look at Gallen under Stuarts leadership. The Raiders are a very talented football team but he is obsessed with teaching them to play grubby and whinge at officials. It gives the players an excuse about being robbed by the officials. That's why they are so ill disciplined across the park in my opinion. Case in point during the Storm game when players were more focused on trapping a player in the ruck by pushing and falling over the tackler then they were about picking up the ball. Vunivalu simply picked the ball up while Raiders players were complaining. It was a reflection of the coaching.
Alan
Guest
noun: confirmation bias the tendency to interpret new (read all) evidence as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories.
bear54
Stuart needs a tough-non-nonsense leader on the field to match his off-field intensity. A leader who will inspire his men and be the example when hard work must be done. When the players get tired of Ricky's shtick it's the man they follow onto the field who makes the difference between winning and losing.
Adam
Guest
Ive seen two games where they had players sent to the bin and their game management is so superior that I cant recall them conceding more than 1 try over both instances. That said if the raiders spent less time with their hands in the air they might do a little better
Adam
Guest
His team also managed to get two qld teams at home in the middle of winter, how big an advantage should that have been?
Taree Raider
Guest
I get sick to death about people raving on and on about Bellamy as a coach, Craig is a good coach of the best spine ever in Rugby League. I don't like the way Cameron Smith plays, however I admit that because he gets away with wrestling, standing offside whilst in defence, throwing forward passes from dummy half, he is the most important team player in the NRL, even more so than J.T. But Craig is a good coach of Billy, Cam, Coops. When he hasn't coached those 3 he is a shit coach. Look at his NSW effort. If he was the CEO of a company he would be dismissed for his immature rants & they way he speaks to his players. However I have spoken to players who have been coached by him and they love him. Remember that Craig has coached Cameron Smith & Co and no one else. The day Cam retires so will Craig. Ricky lets himself down by being too loyal too quickly to players & not admitting when he is wrong. Jack Wighton springs to mind. I'm just glad that others have finally picked up on this. I have been saying this all year.
Simoc
Guest
You can be sure that on most every occasion his team loses it is the referees fault. Stuart is a grub, and the game doesn't need him. Fine him much more and then much more again. Spineless coaches like Ricky Stuart are always looking for excuses for their own incompetence. His history of umpire abuse is appalling.
Nat
Roar Guru
Waiting for Matt Cleary to jump in an passionately object after last years opinion piece. http://www.theroar.com.au/2016/08/19/ricky-stuart-cant-coach-wrong-can-hater/#comment-5112484 Anything Matt?