Ricky Stuart calls Michael Ennis ‘disrespectful’ after mocking of Raiders’ fans Viking clap

RICKY Stuart has unloaded on Michael Ennis, labelling the Cronulla hooker “disrespectful” and telling him to “grow up’’.

RICKY Stuart has unloaded on Michael Ennis, labelling the Cronulla hooker “disrespectful” and telling him to “grow up’’.

Already furious over Ennis’ decision to mock Raiders fans with his own “Viking clap” after Saturday night’s match in Canberra, Stuart said he couldn’t believe how Ennis then tried to talk his way out of the controversy.

Stuart said he was “over” Ennis trying to paint himself as Mr Nice Guy to the media, only to see him continually carry on like a mug on the field.

The Canberra crowd reacts to Michael Ennis as he celebrates victory.

“I’m just trying to protect our fans and the unique experience they are creating with the ‘Viking clap’,” Stuart said.

“To have to sit there and watch him rub our fans’ noses in it after the game was disrespectful and typical Michael Ennis.

“And for him to then come out and say that some of our fans were giving it to the Cronulla players in the streets before the game, grow up.

“Players have a responsibility and you can’t act they way he did after the game and then try and pretend it was all in good fun and it was not offensive.

“It was offensive.

“I always tell my players, how you behave on the football field is the real insight into who you are.

“If my players were as disrespectful towards opposition fans after the game I’d bring them in and haul them over the coals.”

Ennis has denied he was mocking Raiders fans.

Stuart said Cronulla officials should also step up and tell Ennis to pull his head in.

“Everyone enjoys winning but I love seeing a humble winner and players on both teams showing the opposition respect after the game regardless of who wins,” Stuart said.

“After the game I went in and shook Shane Flanagan’s hand and I shook Lyall Gorman’s hand.

“The night down here when we beat Melbourne, I was so impressed with the attitude of Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk.

“They both came over to me after the game and shook my hand. It just showed me they were worthy role models of our game and the type of blokes they are.

“Mick’s real personality is the way he plays. His real personality is what we see on the football field.”

Stuart described the atmosphere at the ground on Saturday night as “the best I have ever been involved in at Canberra as a player or a coach”.

“And I applaud the Cronulla supporters who turned up. But I don’t applaud what Michael Ennis did.

“And then when he is fronted he wants to be the ‘other’ Michael Ennis. I am over him.

“Everyone says he is a great bloke and I get on with him fine.

“Players have to understand they have a responsibility and it is not about mocking the fans.

“We are trying to build our crowds down here and the club and the community have done a wonderful job to create the atmosphere we had on Saturday night.

“It wasn’t long ago the club was averaging 7500 people to games, and to get 26,000 turning up now is a real credit to everyone involved.”

Junior Paulo was left dejected after the defeat.

Ennis denied he was being disrespectful to the Raiders fans.

“There was a small pocket of Cronulla fans throughout the stadium and I was just clapping because I was stoked that we won,’’ Ennis said.

“If it has come across like that then it is disappointing because I certainly wasn’t being disrespectful, that is for sure.

“I came through as a young when blokes like Ricky and Laurie Daley and all those blokes were playing and those great Canberra sides and to see the support that they had, I had never seen it like that in all the years I had played down there.’’