Raiders coach Ricky Stuart claims North Queensland humidity could be too dangerous for the NRL
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart has taken aim at North Queensland’s ability to host NRL fixtures in an all-time post-match spray on Saturday.
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart has taken aim at North Queensland’s ability to host NRL fixtures in an all-time post-match spray on Saturday.
Still fuming after his side’s one-point defeat to the Cowboys, Stuart’s targets included his own players, the NRL, the RLPA and even the weather in Townsville.
Stuart teed off on the NRL concussion protocols that cost his side fullback Sebastian Kris for 10 minutes before pivoting to a bizarre broadside at the humidity in his Round 1 host city.
“The RLPA don’t trust coaches – all they do is want to come and talk to me about how much time off players are gonna get and how much more money,” Stuart said.
WATCH THE SPRAY IN THE PLAYER ABOVE
“I didn’t hear anybody from the RLPA come out and try and go to the NRL in regards to playing up here at 4.30 in the afternoon. We were very lucky that it wasn’t the humidity of what it was yesterday because I think it could have been dangerous for the players welfare.”
Bureau of Meteorology data indicated that humidity in Townsville dipped from a high of 89 per cent at 7am Friday to below 60 per cent during the day, before picking up again on Friday evening.
The mercury topped out at 31 degrees, a single degree warmer than the March average.
Cowboys football manager Micheal Luck declined to comment.
Todd Payten said earlier this week his team would pay no mind to Stuart’s media mind games.
Originally published as Raiders coach Ricky Stuart claims North Queensland humidity could be too dangerous for the NRL
