NRL: Referee calls in Canberra Raiders loss to Brisbane Broncos fire up coach Ricky Stuart

Stuart delayed his post-match press conference at Canberra Stadium, and tried to bite his tongue once in front of media after 10.30pm, but his frustration was clear, even saying the calls went against the Raiders "for 80 minutes".

"I've got the NRL ringing up saying, 'Why isn't he here in this press conference?' The reason I'm not coming in this press conference earlier and keeping you poor people waiting is because I'm pissed off, because people aren't doing their jobs properly," Stuart said.

Stuart was annoyed at the Jordan Rapana sin bin for tripping and a penalty decision against Hudson Young for brushing Selwyn Cobbo while contesting a drop-out.

He said he understood why Raiders fans were giving officials a vocal send-off after full-time.

"Why do you reckon little old ladies are sitting on their chair going off their head? When little old ladies are going off their head, you've had a bad day," Stuart said.

"I can't do nothing [about it]. I've just got to cop it."

Stuart didn't rule out making a complaint to the NRL, but he believed referees boss Jared Maxwell wasn't to blame.

"Jared Maxwell is a very good operator. I reckon the power has been taken off Jared in a number of areas because they're not improving," the coach said.

"He was a very intelligent ref and I think he's a very good boss of the referees. I honestly believe there's been a lot of power taken off him."

The Young incident happened in the 74th minute while the Raiders were trailing by just one converted try and they forced a Broncos drop-out.

Brisbane had a short drop-kick and Selwyn Cobbo was at the top of the pack to catch it, but the Raiders came away with the loose ball.

Young was below Cobbo and barely touched the Broncos winger, but referee Adam Gee deemed that the second-rower had made illegal contact.

Despite a challenge from Raiders co-captain Elliott Whitehead, the Bunker upheld the decision.

"[Young] runs across the ball and denies Selwyn Cobbo an opportunity to catch the ball," the Bunker referee said. "The challenge is unsuccessful."

As a result, the Broncos were awarded a penalty and not long after that turning point Reece Walsh was able to push the margin to seven points with a field goal, before sealing the game with another try in the dying minutes.

"You can't get penalised for the contact he just made," rugby league legend Greg Alexander said in Fox Sports' commentary booth.

"I don't think he did [deny Cobbo an opportunity].

"You can look at a player - that's not illegal."

On the referee calls, Stuart questioned why the Raiders were seemingly always on the receiving end of such pivotal decisions.

"Every escort is going to be exactly the same as Hudson's, but why does it go against us - as it did here three or four weeks ago off a short kick-off to get a football team back into the game, competing against us," he said.

"It happens every game on these escorts. I just don't understand why it's been us. Well I do understand, but that's probably the part I can't talk about."

The Raiders will face a nervous wait to see what the outcome of Jordan Rapana's report for tripping will be.

In trying to stop a rampaging Cobbo from scoring, Rapana was put on report and sin-binned, leaving the Raiders a man down at a major moment in the game.

"It's been reviewed, it's a deliberate action and the kick out makes contact," referee Gee told Rapana.

A lip-reader wasn't needed to decipher Stuart's dismay at the decision with his sideline reaction shown on the live broadcast.

While Rapana was sin-binned for the subtle action on Cobbo, Kotoni Staggs was only put on report for a vicious elbow at the Raiders veteran.

"The tackle has been finished, the ball is gone, and he keeps on with the tackle and strikes with his forearm Rapana's chin. I think it's intentional and I think he could be in lot's of trouble," Mal Meninga said in commentary.

As finals and November 1 nears, NRL player agents and teams are readying for the contract scramble and the Raiders are in the thick of it.

Bronco Ezra Mam was the latest five-eighth linked to the Raiders this week as a potential replacement for Jack Wighton.

The Canberra Times understands the Raiders did indeed express their interest in Mam much earlier in the year, but the recent reports reviving that fact is thought to be a move to push the Broncos to lock down the playmaker long-term.

And the latest news suggests the Broncos are on the verge of locking in Mam long-term with fullback star Reece Walsh.

Mam is contracted to Brisbane for 2024 but he can negotiate with other clubs from that all important date - November 1 - for 2025.

Chief executive Don Furner said the club are keeping their options open when it comes to landing a suitable No.6 after Wighton departs, whether that is buying a player from another team, or looking to promote within the club.

Jamal Fogarty's name also came up in contract speculation this weekend. With the Raiders halfback off-contract after next season, Fogarty is set to test the open market and hear other offers, as Canberra aim to lock him in for 2025.

Joe Tapine gave Reece Walsh a little memento for his trip back home - a bone-crunching hit that sparked a late all-in brouhaha.

Broncos captain Kurt Capewell said post-game it'd be the first highlight he puts on for the team on their way back to Brisbane.

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