‘You’re a coach first’: Stuart spared call to drop son
Rachel Jackson |
A heart-breaking injury to Canberra Raiders star wing Xavier Savage comes with a silver lining for coach Ricky Stuart.
He is no longer faced with the decision to drop his son Jed for Saturday’s clash with Wests Tigers, and possibly dash his hopes of playing on the Raiders’ first premiership team since 1994.
It was a prospect that Stuart says he had already discussed with Jed before Canberra’s miracle golden-point win over Penrith in Mudgee last Friday.
Winger Savelio Tamale is set to return this week for the first time in two months after recovering from a fractured kneecap, taking back his spot on the Raiders’ flank.
But the season-ending shoulder injury Savage suffered against the Panthers meant that Jed Stuart keeps his spot on Canberra’s other wing.
The 24-year-old has shown himself more than capable – and helped set up Friday’s golden-point try – since senior players talked Stuart into debuting his son back in June, but the coach said Stuart Jr. took the news of a potential axing well.
“Whether it was the right decision or not, I’d already told Jed, that was before the Penrith game, Sav was coming back this week (in his place), without realising Xavier got injured,” Ricky Stuart told reporters.
“He’s a humble bloke and he’s for the team so it was hard from a dad’s point of view, but not from the coach, and that’s what you’ve got to lead with.You’ve got to be a coach first.”
Stuart will now have the opportunity to snag a premiership with the Green Machine, emulating his three-time premiership winning father.
Sitting in pole position, Canberra are on track to take their first minor premiership since 1990, when their coach was still donning the green jersey.
Securing the top-spot would be special for the club, but Stuart said his focus remains on the Tigers game for now.
“We talk about the fans, fans here who are rusted on,” he said.
“That would make them very proud, those Raiders fans who are here day-in and day-out.
“From my point of view as a coach, it’s a bigger picture. It’s just about being our best now.”
A six-point loss to North Queensland all but ended the 11th placed Tigers’ finals hopes but Stuart said his men would still need to be at their best defensively.
“A lot of people see that, because they look at the ladder and they think, ‘Oh that team should win’,” he said.
“I think they’ll play a very expensive style of attack. They’ve got a lot of offloads, they’ve got a very dangerous nine. (Hooker and co-captain) Api Koroisau, he’s probably one of your best attacking weapons in the competition.”
The Raiders are expected to play in front of a sell-out crowd at Canberra Stadium on Saturday.
It marks the third 20,000-plus crowd that the club have enjoyed this year, a feat that has not been achieved since that last premiership season in 1994.
AAP
