Ricky Stuart on Des Hasler feud, Kevin Walters friendship, fiery press conferences
As he prepares to face Kevin Walters, Ricky Stuart addresses his fiery Des Hasler exchange, with a blunt message for those who find entertainment in the outbursts that have cost him $160,000.
NRL
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Canberra coach Ricky Stuart has lauded Kevin Walters’ rebuild of the Broncos and addressed speculation of a feud with Gold Coast rival Des Hasler following the Titans-Raiders golden-point firestorm.
Stuart opened up about his 35-year relationship with former Canberra teammate Walters and ex-Test and Origin colleague Hasler ahead of Saturday night’s Raiders-Broncos clash at Suncorp Stadium.
Stuart will arrive on Queensland soil plotting defeat of Walters’ Broncos, determined to close the door on a drama-charged week headlined by his explosive spat with Hasler following Canberra’s extra-time defeat of the Titans.
Stuart and Hasler verbally clashed outside the dressing room as the rival coaches traded barbs during their respective fiery press conferences in which the Raiders mentor slammed the Gold Coast as cheats.
Speaking for the first time about his bust-up with Hasler, Stuart said he would never back down from defending his team, but insists there is no bad blood with his 1990 Kangaroo Tour teammate.
THE HASLER FEUD
“There’s not one issue between me and Des,” Stuart said.
“Des and I know what happened and it’s up to the others to speculate. I can’t change that.
“Look, we were just two men looking after our own footy teams and that’s it.
“I’ve known Des for a long time. It’s finished between us and we’re moving on to this week.
“The penalty count could have been worse for them (the Titans).
“Imagine if we had have got beaten, then it would have been me blowing up.
“Everyone gets their turn.”
RICKY’S RAGE
Stuart is the most sanctioned coach in NRL history, having been whacked with a staggering $160,000 in fines over a slew of post-match outbursts and attacks on players and officials during his 22-year coaching career.
The 57-year-old has become such an entertainer that he recently took part in a McDonald’s commercial referencing his press-conference serves, but Stuart says his emotion-charged views are no laughing matter.
“I don’t see myself as an entertainer,” he said.
“I see myself as a coach who is trying to get a result every week and looking after his team.
“I’m looking after my players. I’m looking after my team. I’m looking after my club. And I’m trying to win every week. I am passionate about the result. I am passionate about the club. It’s the coaches and the guys who are involved at the coalface.
“For everyone else, it may be theatre and fun, but it’s not theatre for us at the coalface.
“Some people want the click bait. They would rather drag you down and kick you in the guts, but for the coaches and players, this is our jobs and livelihoods.
“I don’t go out there (to press conferences) to entertain anyone.
“That’s other people’s business what they think of me, I don’t care, honestly. As long as my close mates and family are happy, I’m happy.
“I’m passionate and honest. It’s just my personality, I suppose.”
KEV-OLUTION
Stuart says he and Broncos coach Walters will be lifelong friends. The pair were part of Canberra’s maiden premiership win in 1989 and Stuart sees parallels between his coaching style at Canberra and that of Walters at the Broncos.
“My authenticity for Canberra is genuine and I see that in Kevin’s coaching, his authenticity and how his care for the club comes out in his coaching,” Stuart said.
“I was actually close to Kevvie’s older brother Steve.
“I lived with Steve in Canberra and I got to know Kevin as brothers. That’s the great part of rugby league, the friendships you make and I’m at a stage of my life now where I really do treasure having a friend like Kevvie.
“Kevvie went back to the Broncos during a very difficult time and I think the fact he was passionate about the Broncos and their history and their past, they have found some stability again.
“He took over when the Broncos were a rabble, but his passion and commitment for the club and the Brisbane jumper has helped the club come through their tough times.
“Kev is very genuine about his love for the Broncos. He is quite an emotional bloke and you can see the passion in his coaching.
“Any player at a club who sees how genuine their coach is, they tend to buy in.”
BRONCOS HEARTBREAK
Stuart won a premiership in his maiden season as head coach with the Sydney Roosters in 2002. He then lost back-to-back grand finals in 2003-04 before suffering a third defeat in the 2019 decider as Canberra coach, ironically against the Roosters.
So when he watched Penrith snatch victory in the dying minutes of last year’s grand final against the Broncos, Stuart could empathise with Walters’ big-game pain.
“The people I did care about in that grand final were Kevvie, ‘Carty’ (John Cartwright) and ‘Alfie’ (Allan Langer),” Stuart said.
“I played with those guys and I know how it feels.
“I’ve had the winning feeling of a premiership and a losing feeling and I can tell you the losing far outweighs the winning feeling.
“It takes a little while to get over it, but once you get to pre-season, you have to leave it behind and remember you did make the grand final.
“There’s a lot of other players and clubs who wished they were there that day.
“It was a wonderful effort for Kev as head coach last year to get to the grand final, but he’s only early in his career as an NRL coach. There will be more lows. It’s just a matter of trying to get that opportunity again.”
NICE GUY KEVVIE
There was a view the happy-go-lucky Walters was too nice to succeed as an NRL coach, but Stuart is adamant his good mate can deliver a Broncos premiership.
“I never doubted that Kevin would be a successful NRL coach,” Stuart said.
“Kev is a very competitive person. You only have to see the way he coaches and it’s exactly the way he played.
“When you look at the coaches at this level who were players themselves, with some of them you can see the personalities of their players and sides come out in their coaching.
“He’s only into his fourth season as an NRL head coach and he will be learning better methods and different ways in the years to come.
“You don’t stop learning.
“It does not surprise me at all to see Kevin turn the Broncos around. He took the club on in the most difficult time the club has had. They were wooden spooners and he has taken a big club like the Broncos from last spot to the grand final.
“It should be applauded. It’s an amazing effort.
“You always want to see your mates do well.
“I’d love to see Kevin win the premiership … only after I do.”
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Stuart was privately filthy when Broncos legend Corey Parker recently delivered a brutal critique of the club.
Former Broncos skipper Parker questioned the quality of Ricky’s roster and believes the Raiders struggle to attract players because Canberra, in his eyes, is not an attractive place to live.
Stuart scoffed at suggestions the Raiders cannot sign marquee players.
“It’s easy to recruit a certain type of player,” he said.
“The type of player who doesn’t want to come here, that’s fine by me.
“If they can’t handle the cold weather, I don’t want them at the Raiders.
“If they can’t work in an uncomfortable environment, don’t come here. It won’t work anyway.
“We’ve had great players here. Mal Meninga came from Queensland. He still lives here. Guys from New Zealand and England have come here and stayed here.
“Canberra get bashed if we don’t get blokes, but we work bloody hard here.
“I make players uncomfortable, but I know that gets the best out of them.
“I say to every player here, you look after the Canberra jumper and the club will look after you.
“Our boys have a respect and passion for the jumper.
“We have a great culture here.”
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