Canberra coach Ricky Stuart admits Raiders forward Hudson Young should be graded for “stupidity” but defended the 21-year-old ahead of his trip to the NRL judiciary.
Young was referred straight to the judiciary after he made contact with the face of Adam Pompey as the Warriors winger scored a try on Saturday.
Young copped a five-game ban earlier in the season over a similar incident and with two prior offences hanging over his head, he is looking at a lengthy suspension.
Young headlines a marathon night at the judiciary on Tuesday with Sydney Roosters star Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Cronulla winger Ronaldo Mulitalo also fighting to play in the first week of finals.
Stuart said he was only concerned for the welfare of Young who is “very upset” following calls from rugby league greats Brad Fittler and Andrew John for a record ban.
“I’m just concerned about the kid’s welfare, the hysteria that has been raised through this is unfair,” Stuart said.
“There has been some childish comments about it. I’m really disappointed in some of the comments that have been aimed at Hudson because it might sound funny to you but he’s got a mother out there who is really in desperate need for her son, she’s very upset.
“Hudson is very upset, we’ve got to think about the person here as well. He did not intentionally go in to gouge the young player from the Warriors and he didn’t gouge him, the young player said that.
“I’ll leave everything else to our lawyer but I’m more worried about the personal welfare of Hudson because at this moment him and his family are under a lot of stress and pressure.”
It is expected Canberra’s defence will point to North Queensland forward Josh Maguire who escaped with fines twice this season for “facials”.
“Where (Young) had his hand was stupid and if there’s a grading for stupidity that’s what it is,” Stuart said.
“Was it a facial? Yeah probably a facial but he had his hand caught on his face after he went in at the ball the second time, he didn’t find the ball then all of a sudden and this is Hudson’s words, he ripped it out of there, knowing he’d been in trouble before.
“Stupidity? Yes. Accident? I don’t know.”
