New Canberra coach Ricky Stuart says his communication with players will be the key factor in eliminating the troubled NRL club’s off-field behavioural problems.
While Stuart admits he has a reputation for a hardline approach, he says he must communicate well with his players if the Raiders are to bounce back strongly from a 2013 season dogged by controversies and sackings.
The Raiders were tracking for a top-eight finish in 2013 before losing their final six games of the regular season.
The defeats coincided with the sacking of former coach David Furner and troubled star Blake Ferguson, while winger Sandor Earl was suspended after making admissions to ASADA. While star fullback Josh Dugan was sacked for off-field indiscretions earlier in the year.
Stuart, who left repeat wooden spooners Parramatta on Thursday after just one season, and with two years left on his contract, said that barring Cronulla, the teams remaining in the NRL finals series have all had seasons without too much off-field drama.
“It’s healthy towards your future success, trying to eliminate as much as you can in regards to off-field dramas and discipline problems,” said Stuart, addressing a media conference at the club on Monday to formally announce his three-year deal with the Raiders.
“That’s important for all of us to buy into.”
Asked if he was going to take a more hardline approach towards players’ off-field discipline, Stuart replied he would only ever aim to be fair.
“I’m always seen to be the one with a hardline approach.
“I’d like people to see or know that there’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes in regards to the welfare and care of the players,” he said.
“Sometimes what’s said behind closed doors and the cuddle you can give a player is actually a big part of the player growing up and maturing.”
Stuart said he hadn’t yet spoken to Canberra’s 2013 best and fairest player Anthony Milford, who is looking to activate a get-out clause in his contract to return to Queensland because of his father’s illness.
However Stuart was optimistic the 19-year-old star would stay at the Raiders.
“I’ve got a good relationship with his manager (Sam Ayoub),” Stuart said.
A three-time premiership winner with the club as a player, Stuart said he didn’t feel any extra pressure to perform at the Raiders.
“No, I’m very confident with what I can do,” he said.
“I’m happy to cop the barrage that I’ve copped, the criticism of the critics, because I want to coach this great club and I want to bring my family back to Canberra.”
Newly instated Raiders chairman Dr Allan Hawke said Stuart’s record as Eels coach didn’t enter the minds of the board when they made the unanimous decision to give him the reins.
“Skills, leadership, there were a whole set of things there that we assessed the various people against and basically he stood out,” Hawke said.
Interim coach Andrew Dunemann has been let go by the club but fellow former assistant Brett Kimmorley has been invited to stay.
Stuart said he was hopeful his long-time assistant Dean Pay would follow him to Canberra alongside Manly assistant coach Matt Parish.
