NRL Finals 2020: Canberra coach Ricky Stuart walks out of press conference after just one question
It lasted only one question and just 135 seconds but Ricky Stuart ‘fulfilled his obligations’ to the media after Canberra’s preliminary final defeat to Melbourne and is unlikely to be sanctioned.
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Ricky Stuart is not expected to be sanctioned for his one question press conference following Canberra’s loss to Melbourne on Friday night.
Stuart’s press conference lasted only one question and just 135 seconds.
As a reporter went to ask a second question, Stuart said “cheers”, stood up and walked out.
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A naturally frustrated Stuart gave an extensive answer to the first question before leaving.
The NRL’s head of football Graham Annesley said Stuart had fulfilled his obligations by fronting up for the media conference.
“I’ve heard grabs form the media conference,” Annesley told ABC Grandstand.
“(The answer) was a long one to Ricky’s credit. He didn’t come in and give a one word answer. I don’t determine those things, they are determined by other people. One thing I would say is the rules require coaches to answer questions from the press.
“They don’t stipulate how long they need to be there for. He got asked a question and felt he had said everything he needed to say.”
In contrast Melbourne’s press conference with Craig Bellamy and skipper Cameron Smith went for 17 minutes.
Annesley expected the Storm to arrive in Sydney the day before the game.
“We are working closely with the Storm,” Annesley said.
“We’ve been talking to them about preparations for grand final week. We’re still negotiating with some of those terms with Queensland government. We won’t see the Storm in Sydney all week. They will hopefully come down before the day before the game.”
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STORM IMPERIOUS
This high-octane preliminary final was one of the most imperious performances of coach Craig Bellamy’s 17-year reign in Melbourne.
The Storm led from start to finish, with Smith, Jahrome Hughes and Ryan Papenhuyzen superb as Melbourne posted three tries in the opening 10 minutes to leave the Green Machine stuck in first gear at 16-0 and in crisis at 24-0 after 25.
Canberra were desperate after the break but when Dale Finucane swooped on a Hughes kick in the 62nd minute, Bellamy’s Storm troopers were heading to Homebush.
The Storm’s 2017 premiership win was bookended by gut-wrenching defeats in 2016 and 2018 and now they have the ultimate motivation to scale the NRL summit again — especially if their skipper Smith announces his retirement in grand-final week.
“I’m so proud of this side,” Bellamy said. “This group has had a great attitude and I hope they get what they deserve next week.”
SEVENTH HEAVEN
Stop the debate. Hughes, slick and quick, is a bona fide big-game performer at halfback.
Hughes is not a natural No.7 and he was quiet in the Storm’s finals defeat of Parramatta a fortnight ago, but the headgear-wearing utility showed he can be a premiership-winning halfback.
From the opening minutes, he sliced-and-diced the Green Machine, setting up three tries, including Melbourne’s fifth-minute opener with a clever jink and pass for Jesse Bromwich.
“Jahrome was superb,” Smith said. “He has taken on more responsibility and he is kicking really well.”
CAM INJECTION
Before kick-off, Smith gave Storm players a steely look as he delivered one of the most passionate speeches of his career.
If this was Smith’s farewell to Suncorp Stadium, he made a statement. Stirred by Smith’s words, Melbourne first 20 minutes was brutally beautiful.
Smith capped a fine skipper’s knock with a superb 66th-minute trysaver on Nick Cotric that inspired the Storm’s date with title destiny.
DYNAMIC DUO
Melbourne wingers Vunivalu and Josh Addo-Carr were magnificent. The pair produced 15 tackle busts and 213 metres between them as their fusion of pace and power propelled the Storm — and Smith — to another date with title destiny.
Originally published as NRL Finals 2020: Canberra coach Ricky Stuart walks out of press conference after just one question