Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has gone off at Penrith's replacement five-eighth Jaeman Salmon after an ugly incident in the second half of Canberra's 26-6 loss.
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In an extremely unusual and tense personal attack, Stuart lashed Salmon as a "weak-gutted dog" in his post-match press conference after the Raiders lost to the Penrith Panthers 26-6.
In a game that had two sin-bins, two Raiders put on report, their best player Joe Tapine in agony with a season-threatening injury and a surprise debut, there was a lowlight that saw Tom Starling cop a below-the-belt hit.
Starling was tackling Salmon when the Panther was seen to kick up with his boot right between the Raiders hooker's legs, landing Salmon on report and gifting Canberra a penalty.
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"He's got the double whammy. One in the lunchbox and one on the chin," Fox Sports commentator and former NRL player Michael Ennis said of the incident.
Stuart did not mince words in describing his thoughts about Salmon's actions post-game.
"Where Salmon kicked Tommy - it ain't on," Stuart said in his press conference.
"I've had history with that kid. I know that kid very well. He was a weak gutted dog as a kid and he hasn't changed now.
"He's a weak gutted dog person now."
It's not clear what the history is between Stuart and Salmon. Stuart did not want to divulge the reasoning behind his anger when asked by The Canberra Times. Both the Raiders and Panthers declined to add further context to the situation.
Channel Nine expert Phil Gould said one of Stuart's sons used to play in the same junior team as Salmon. "But I'm not suggesting that's the history he's referring to or that's got anything to do with the comments," Gould said.
"I don't know what history is there. But certainly Ricky, on reflection, is rather extraordinary. I've never heard a coach say anything like that a press conference."
Salmon was asked if he wanted to respond and defend himself, but the Panthers advised him not to add further comment. Ivan Cleary was unaware of what Stuart had said until asked about it in his press conference.
The NRL is expected to investigate.
"I don't think I need to respond to those comments," Cleary said. "I know what Jaeman is like and he's valuable at our club, and we love him.
"It's hard to see with the small screens. I can't imagine Jaeman would have deliberately done that. I honestly didn't really see it."
Others have weighed in, with Fox Sports commentator Corey Parker saying: "The optics don't look great do they coming from Ricky Stuart, who is in a position of power and being a coach.
"Is he bringing the game into disrepute by saying what he is saying? I am not sure.
"The fact that Ricky Stuart is the head coach of the Canberra Raiders saying that about a player, I don't think it looks great. I can't think in my time think of an incident like that where a coach has personally gone after a player, or said some things about a player .... But the optics aren't great."
Great Cooper Cronk added he didn't think Stuart should have gone on a personal attack.
There has been plenty of tension between the Raiders and Panthers in recent years, and tempers threatened to boil over on the field.
But no one expected the attacks to become personal after full-time, with Stuart turning the blowtorch on Salmon - who was called on to help the Panthers after losing halves Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai.
Parker added: "Ricky Stuart has been coaching in the game for 20 years and absolutely disgraceful comments from Ricky Stuart.
"To publicly humiliate a player regardless of the situation on the field. That will be dealt with.
"He has got a position of power Ricky in the head coaching role. He has got a position of leading these men that look up to him to mentor in the right way and he has completely got that wrong.
"The words that he has used in regards to Salmon are completely out of line ... disgraceful.
Sin-bin city
Two careless high shots that caught their opposition plumb saw Penrith's James Fisher-Harris and Canberra's Nick Cotric sent to the bin on Saturday night.
The Panthers prop collected Ryan Sutton with the Englishman's first touch after he ran on off the bench.
Then to start the second half Cotric completely misjudged a tackle attempt on Penrith fullback Dylan Edwards, striking him across the head with a wild right arm that prompted an all-in push-and shove to fire up both sides and reduce them to 12-a-side.
Tapine on report and injured
To add to a concerning rib injury that had Raiders prop Joe Tapine gasping for air before the end of the first half, the New Zealand international will sweat on the decision of the NRL match review committee after being put on report for a crusher tackle earlier in the match.
Mariota's surprise debut
Sutton's single carry resulted in him catching a horrible fist to his nose from Fisher-Harris, and forced him off for a HIA.
When Sutton failed his HIA, that meant the 18th man Ata Matriota was given his surprise NRL debut in the second half.
Panthers halves play the part
The Raiders made sure the halves duo of Sean O'Sullivan and Jaeman Salmon felt the pressure early. Hudson Young got right up under O'Sullivan's chin and bumped him to the ground on the halfback's first kick. And an out-on-the-full kick by O'Sullivan in a 40-20 attempt was a moment he'd rather forget.
But the pair settled into the starting roles in absence of Nathan Cleary through suspension and with Jarome Luai sidelined for his second-straight week with a knee injury. Cleary was seated in the coach's box beside his father Ivan while Luai sat watching the game from the sideline.
O'Sullivan's swift direction change and grubber for the Panthers' second try of the night scored by Stephen Crichton brilliantly caught Canberra wrong-footed.
Hopoate stands tall
Albert Hopoate was a late call-up for the Raiders after Xavier Savage had to sit out the match with an ankle complaint. It was Hopote's fourth NRL game and first at fullback.
His first touch was spectacular with a confident leaping grab under a Panthers bomb, before beating four defenders to run 50 metres up field. Hopoate had 91 metres in the first half and had a great try-saver in the final minute before half-time.
Slippery and sloppy
The drizzling rain played havoc with the Raiders and Panthers and simple and uncharacteristic errors in the first-half proved frustrating.
After Api Koroisau's try to level scores, there was a remarkable sequence that saw a total of six errors in as many minutes from both teams.
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