Vintage Ricky Stuart has been at it again, firing up the ravaged Raiders for Thursday night’s NRL grand final rematch by reminding his battered troops how hard done by they’ve been.

Employing his signature siege mentality, Stuart has challenged the Raiders to “show what’s under the bonnet” after copping a five-day turnaround for their SCG showpiece showdown with the Sydney Roosters and, according to the wily Canberra coach, generally being treated as second-class citizens by the NRL.

Forbidden from staying overnight in Sydney during coronavirus, the Raiders were also initially ordered to catch the bus from the national capital because that’s what they’d normally do for an away game.

“I have to acknowledge Peter V’landys for fixing it. We’re now about to fly in and fly out, which should be the norm for any elite sporting team,” Stuart told NRL 360.

“It shouldn’t take that … me blowing up in the media in regards to being treated fairly.

“I think historically we haven’t been treated as fairly as other clubs and it’s my job as a coach who looks after his club and his players to do everything I can for my team.”

The 2002 premiership-winning Roosters coach isn’t lacking motivation for wanting to beat his old club, following last year’s dramatic grand final loss, but said he wouldn’t use the perceived mistreatment as motivation.

“That’s not going to help us at all. It’s just disappointing that you keep hearing about a grand final rematch and we get a five-day turnaround,” Stuart said.

“I mean, planning is everything in scheduling for my team and also a competition and having a five-day turnaround for such a, I think, great game for rugby league.

“Because that’s what it’s all about – another really important game for us and the Roosters – but a great game for all the fans to watch and the supporters to watch and it should be treated on a fairer basis in regards to the turnaround.

“But it’s not and we’ll get on with it.”

With influential co-captain Josh Hodgson and winger Bailey Simonsson joining Canberra’s crippling injury toll in last Saturday night’s 20-14 loss to Melbourne, Stuart has spent the week telling the Raiders how the critics had “written off” their top-eight chances.

“Nobody’s given us the opportunity to show what’s under the bonnet, to show what’s under the jumper,” he said.

“And it’s our job now to come out and really reveal what we’re about here at the club.

“We’ve got a lot of spirit, culture, a lot of heart. We have (had) for many, many years and that will be revealed now.”