Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has launched a stinging attack on the NRL as the game’s most divisive issue flared up again.
NRL: Jarrod Croker and Ricky Stuart spoke to the media following the Raiders win over the Eels.
Stuart took exception Corey Horsburgh’s sin-binning for a punch on Ryan Matterson, while he also weighed in on the hip drop tackle debate.
“It was tough. We had to play tough. Especially with having to play a man down for 10 minutes, played with 12 there in a really tight part of the game,” Stuart said.
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“I thought we defended extremely well with 12 men, it was a lucky bounce off the post that broke our line. We had to dig really deep in that period.
“I think Corey shouldn’t have got 10 minutes. I thought that was a poor decision in regards to the sin-binning of Corey. That really put us under pressure.”
Stuart was frustrated with Junior Paulo’s tackle on Joseph Tapine that saw him go off injured.
“I’m a mate of Junior’s and I don’t want to add any extra exposure, I suppose, to it all. But I had a player go off for that,” Stuart said.
“Corey Horsburgh pushed a player in the head. Corey got pushed in the head as well, when he was held by the jumper.
Jarrod Croker and Ricky Stuart.
“Latrell Mitchell last week pushed a player to the head twice. Nothing happened, he was allowed to play the ball – we got a player sent to the bin.
“If you’re going to change the interpretations around like that it’s just crap. You can’t change interpretations week to week.
“I feel sorry for the referees because they’re the ones under pressure when the interpretations keep getting changed every week. I don’t know who’s telling them.
“Why this week when you push someone in the head you get 10 minutes in the bin and put us under pressure as a team.
“Because last week we saw a situation that you’re allowed to do now. You’re allowed to push people in the head.”
Stuart also defended the players over the hip drop crackdown and believes the tackle is an accident and not coached by the coaches.
“I’m glad it’s changed because too many players are laying down now on hip drops,” Stuart said.
“I don’t think you should sin bin players on hip drops because too many of them are laying down.
“Some guys, the hardest part of their night is to get up and pretend they’ve got a sore leg.
“I don’t believe you should be sin-binning blokes for hip drops because it’s tackles that accidentally go wrong. Coaches do not coach hip drops.
“If you went into a tackle to try and do a hip drop, you would miss.”