Almost one year to the day Canberra’s grand-final dream turned into a nightmare by a refereeing decision, an irate Ricky Stuart has taken square aim at the NRL officials.
The Raiders on Sunday overcame a horror opening half hour, including the sin-binning of star Jack Wighton, to claim a 12-point win over the Warriors and stay within striking distance of an all-important top-four finish.
However, just two weeks out from the finals, that failed to prevent Stuart from taking his frustrations out on the referees for what he believed was a “shocking” and “disgraceful” game of football.
“I wasn’t happy with too much. It was a shocking game of football … If we had put some lineouts in from (when) the ball went out, it would’ve been two rugby union games here in two days,” he said.
“Disgraceful.”
His comments come a week after the NRL rushed in changes to its bunker operations following a growing frustration with video refereeing decisions.
Stuart’s broadside also came just days after NRL touch judge Phil Henderson was axed from a fixture on the weekend for failing to spot a clear no-try call in Canterbury’s upset of South Sydney on Thursday.
Stuart was particularly seething over what he perceived as an unfair 7-1 penalty count in the first half, as well as the marching of Wighton, who was ruled offside and binned after a string of infringements.
But he is unlikely to raise his issues with Annesley this week.
“I won’t be raising any points. I’ll be doing my review. They’ll do their review, go into hiding with their results, and it’ll just be game on again next week,” Stuart said.
“I’ve been around the game long enough to know and see, where we create a foul, we create an incident, we get penalised. I understand that, I get that.
“But then when you see the opposition exactly do the same thing, I expect the penalty to be there too.”
The Raiders were on the wrong end of a controversial six-again call late in last year’s grand-final loss to the Sydney Roosters that has since haunted the club and its fanbase.
Stuart stopped short of saying history could be repeating.
“(That) Jack Wighton sin bin, would’ve that been the same decision if it was a semi-final? I hope not, because he wasn’t offside. You can’t make that error,” he said.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Is it his fault he's light years above anyone else in that spot? Just because he is a winger? Obviously the poor sap never had an agent wise enough to move him somewhere for fullback money. :silly:. When our great grandies are discussing who this Irvine dude is and why he has a 140 year unbroken try scoring record yet they don't know the achievements of half the 'immortals' I hope you shall reconsider. :thumbup:
mushi
Roar Guru
Well given you are arguing Irvine as an immortal is that really a high bar? My quick read had no winger ever winning the Dally M and I could only see only see one top try scorer. It's never been considered that the best try scorer/winger = best player so not sure why that's the threshold for immortal status.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Some fair points, as I wouldn't have Bevan, Johnny King, Horder or Lumsden or some others as Immortals - plenty of other great wingers in history-, but Irvine is just sooo far ahead. And his record endures today and given the quality of people who can't catch him, the man IS legendary and will be in the books possibly forever - that makes an immortal in my book. Brett Morris, after Irvine arguably the best winger of of all time and could displace Bevan still would have to play 3-4 more years to pass Irvine. Also, if any player did ever pass Irvine I can bet they'll be argued as an immortal.
Nat
Roar Rookie
Winger... :silly: That's only a half joke but I still find it hard to elevate a winger to such a high level. While Irvine predates my viewership by decades, from what I understand he was fantastic but he is a finisher and enjoyed a few advantages as well. Unlimited tackles and unstructured defence really allows the super quick to run around teams ala u10s (sry that sounds more disrespectful than intended). To this day I still cannot think of a winger I would have anywhere near that crowd. HOF 100%.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Sweet. :thumbup: I'd love for you to explain that to me, I just don't see it and like to understand what I'm missing. He didn't have the recent corner post decision in his favour and still nobody is near his record. Makes him kind of extra awesome doesn't it? What is it I don't know or get?
mushi
Roar Guru
Fair enough. I'm a fan that he isn't in :silly:
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Mushi, I'm referring to Irvine. :thumbup:
mushi
Roar Guru
Langlands? He got in with Lewis ~20 years ago
Nat
Roar Rookie
Annersley had the benefit of video and he still got it wrong.
Nat
Roar Rookie
I see Fox ran with that same line of thought. They show the frame where Jack is one step forward off the line while the hooker was about to deliver the pass. If that's the point they can start to move up, every team, every game, every week are offside.
Big Daddy
Guest
Most coaches are pretty reticent about making comments about incompetent referees as they cop pretty stiff fines as Ivan Cleary will verify. After reading today's NRL staff cutbacks we can see fines start to increase . Freedom of speech is something the NRL cannot tolerate wether it is right or wrong or how politely it is said. Yet week after week we have many errors from referee's and the bunker which seem to go on without any punishment. We have Annesely s smoke and mirrors weekly explanations . Sooner or later the coaches have been venting their frustration, but will things change - probably not.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
He was quick and skilled. Travesty that he hasn't been made an immortal, makes a bit of a joke of their selection criteria/rules IMO.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Annesley has tried to prove the referee, with no proof contrary to the photo of the ref not looking at Wighton ,correct with a frame by frame stop and an 'interpretation'..a non binding personal interpretation, of what constitutes the ball clearing the ruck.. The following attempt to show Pompey was wrongly penalized for tackling in the air was utter nonsense and a sorrowful spiteful, attempt at revenge for Ricky belittling him with the 'planets apart' belt to the chops. V'Landys ought to do the game a favour by punting him, its the true job cut- cost scalp needed.
Nat
Roar Rookie
I'll be interested to see if Bateman gets a warning for that hair pull? Burr thought it was Paps and Paps didn't like Burr pulling his mullet in reply. Then Bateman stands there throwing guys around and mouthing off in the huddle.
Nat
Roar Rookie
You're most likely right. I didn't think it was that far back to be Irvine but I knew he was quick.
kersed
Roar Rookie
Hey, woah, hold up. Dont bring dogs in to Canberra's dirty tactics, the DOGS (Bulldogs) dont have any of this in their game. They are actually not aggressive enough and need to actually have more mongrel in them but having mongrel doesn't mean you need to get dirty.
Adam
Roar Guru
It's a solid sledge but I just imagine the passer by of an argument getting called fat through no provocation. Petaia is a very good player , but a bit of an injury risk by the sounds of it. There's a few young guys floating around in Union at the moment who would have been good pick ups for the NRL
Nat
Roar Rookie
I watched it (don't tell them RU guys... :stoked: ), it ended up pretty good but you always felt like the Brumbies had control. What I'd give to see Petaia in a Broncos jumper. Ricky's was a solid sledge from a bloke who used to play at a decent level.
Adam
Roar Guru
I don’t quite understand the dig at Union. The Reds vs Brumbies game was quite good from all reports. But more to the point, the referee doesn’t need to give a warning and it seems that Annesley has sided with the refs in saying that Wighton was offside. So I’m not sure there is an argument there
Pete
Guest
Sick to death of Ricky's constant whinging about the refs. One of the main reasons they were so successful last year is because they were allowed to lie all over players in the ruck. I think he just isn't happy because the refs haven't been as lenient and as a result his side are struggling and he hasn't been able to get his side to adapt.