Stuart rant likely to be assessed by NRL

Ricky Stuart’s post-match spray against referees will likely come under the scrutiny of the NRL this week.

The Canberra coach claimed he received 47 text messages after the 20-14 loss to Melbourne about the officials, and called for referees and their boss Tony Archer to face the media over their decisions.

It’s understood the NRL will pore over the five-minute rant, as they consider whether the Raiders coach will face the 11th fine of his 14-year coaching career.

They will also have to determine how it compares to other rants delivered by Michael Maguire, Trent Barrett, Nathan Brown and Des Hasler, given no coach has been fined this year.

“The best thing the NRL has done is just keep fining me and fining me and whacking the hell out of me, so I don’t say anything,” Stuart said in his press conference.

“Why doesn’t the NRL come out and make public some of the communications between the referees, the bunker, and the linesmen?

“Why don’t the NRL get the referees to come in and answer some of these questions too?

“Then we’ll start fixing some things in regards to what’s going on in interpretations, inconsistencies.”

Stuart has been fined a total of $120,000 since his first head-coaching role with the Sydney Roosters in 2002, with his most recent fine a $15,000 sanction in May 2015.

However Saturday’s spray allowed Stuart to avoid questions over whether forward Sia Soliola should have been sent off for a late high shot that knocked Billy Slater out cold – which Archer has since said should have been a send off.

But Stuart was most frustrated with the officials allowing the Storm to play on after winger Suliasi Vunivalu scooped up a Raiders’ play-the-ball following a Melbourne infringement to score.

The decision was eventually overturned by the bunker, but Melbourne would have retained possession had he been tackled before he reached the line.

“I’m accountable. I’ve got to sit here every friggin’ week and answer questions. Let’s make everyone in the game accountable,” Stuart said.

“Those poor bastards in there – my players – they’re accountable every week.”

While an outside chance to make the finals, Canberra will need to go on a miraculous run in the last six rounds as they remain in 10th, two games outside of the top eight.

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