Raiders coach Ricky Stuart got the win over the Wests Tigers but it didn’t stop him blowing up deluxe in his post-game press conference on Friday night.
Stuart took aim at the officials almost as soon as he sat down but he was largely composed – until asked about Jarrod Croker.
Stuart controversially rested Croker for the game to ensure the Green Machine legend would play his 300th NRL game in Canberra next week.
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The decision drew some criticism during the week which Stuart copped, but he was at boiling point on Friday night when asked if is side missed their captain against the Tigers.
“When did we miss him, mate? You reckon Jarod would have stopped those three (tries)?” Stuart hit back sarcastically.
“It was a risk. When you lose, you’ve got to take a risk. These muppets who’ve been bagging me, they’re all the guys who will read the textbooks … but they can’t actually execute it.
“They’re not the people I want in the trenches with me.
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“What I did was the right thing by all the Canberra fans. I wanted to make sure they knew I was resting Jarod this week.
“I could’ve kept him in the team all week, they would have bought their tickets and poor buggers would’ve come down here to see him play 300, but no, I did the right thing. I was open and honest.
“I was probably wrong to be open and honest. I might as well just lie.
“It really shitted me off that these so-called experts who’ve never man-managed, never been leaders in making tough decisions – and that was a big risk tonight and I knew I was going to cop it from every one of you in here tonight if we got beaten.
“But I was prepared to take a risk. That’s leadership. Not these other muppets who pretend they know.
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