This week's desperately needed 30-16 triumph over the Sea Eagles was one of his finest performances as a rugby league coach.

And his post-match oratory was an eloquent demonstration of holstered passion, not always a trait associated with the often emotive Stuart in the immediate aftermath of full-time, explaining the underlying fundamental that dictates his entire coaching philosophy.

"One thing I try so hard to do is try and build a relationship with my player, that's what I think I'm good at and I won't change that," Stuart said.

"There has been some headbutts with a couple of players this year with myself, that's me trying to create an edge, that's me trying to get that player to play his best football, that's not me personally attacking a player.

"Some days you might have a headbutt with your best mate and you've got to be big enough to move on. It's not all the players' fault, I'm wrong too. But you sit down, discuss it and move forward.

"It's a tough sport, it's a tough job playing in the NRL and coaching it. You've got to be able to handle self analysis, you've got to be able to handle criticism and coaching as a player, and you move forward as a group and that's what they did tonight."

Stuart has always been fiercely protective of his players. In return they play for him.

Most importantly this week, he was able to shield his boys from the external noise that had started up again following last Saturday's home loss to the lowly Gold Coast Titans, the Raiders' worst showing at Canberra Stadium in eight years.

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They were on a five-day back up without State of Origin duo Josh Papalii and Jack Wighton, and injured staples Elliott Whitehead, Bailey Simonsson and long-term casualty Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.

But Stuart took those perceived obstacles and crafted them to his advantage. He pieced together an unfashionable playing jigsaw, and was rewarded with a team performance much greater than the sum of its parts.

It included a 19-year-old debutant at fullback in Xavier Savage, who switched with veteran Jordan Rapana midway through the contest.

There was Matt Frawley playing his second NRL match in three seasons, tasked with filling the irreplaceable boots of Wighton, and usinghis pinpoint left shoe time and again to pin Manly to their goal line.

Emre Guler started at prop in place of Papalii, while Joe Tapine played like a man possessed from the bench running for almost 200 metres in the first half alone.

Tom Starling was injected much earlier than normal, at which point Josh Hodgson shifted out a step into a ball-playing forward role.

"Each individual had a contribution towards that result tonight," Stuart said.

"It wasn't where we've been over the last couple of months where we've only had a bits and pieces or a few players play well one week and then next week we've got another few players.

"We can't win that game tonight if we're not mentally and physically willing to want to perform that way, we don't win that game tonight if we're broken inside our club and I can promise you that we're not.

"I give these boys a little bit of downtime [now] because I've got a longer turnaround now after a short turnaround.

"A bit of downtime this weekend will be a lot easier than what it's been. I repeat myself that I'm happy that the players can have a little bit of joy in their couple of days with their families and partners.

"Please don't underestimate what I say there, it's been a tough situation over the last three months only winning a game or so. We're certainly not out of it. . .but we need to back up today's performance."

Write Ricky's rallying Raiders off at your peril.