As the media cycle goes into overdrive with speculation about the fate of a number of NRL coaches including Brad Arthur, Justin Holbrook and Anthony Griffin, Ricky Stuart’s future has suddenly become far more certain
The Daily Telegraph reports that the Raiders coach has secured a contract extension that will keep him in Canberra until 2025.
Stuart is currently in his ninth year at the helm of the club where he played 227 games and has coached over 200 more. The man they call ‘Sticky’ is closing in rapidly on Tim Sheens’ all-time coaching record for the club.
Prior to his return to the nation’s capital, Stuart had coaching stints at the Roosters (winning a premiership in his first season), Sharks and Eels. He also won three premierships during his time as a Raiders player.
Though he was named as a possibility to take the head coaching role at Belmore, Stuart has gone on record previously saying he never wanted to coach against the Raiders again.
Though the team has struggled at various stages under his watch, with a habit of late fades and surges prematurely ageing fans for years, the Green Machine has made one grand final appearance and two further runs to the preliminary finals since 2016.
The 2022 campaign has been one of mixed fortunes, but the Raiders are still in the hunt for finals football, just two points behind eighth-placed Manly with seven rounds remaining.
With a run home that includes games against the four of the bottom five clubs in the competition and a vital encounter against the Sea Eagles, their finals destiny is firmly in their own hands.
