Stuart lays into Blair over NRL All Stars selection claims
Ricky Stuart and Adam Blair have exchanged barbs over the availability of Canberra Raiders players for the NRL All Stars game last Saturday in Sydney.
The dispute comes after no Raiders players were selected for the Maori All Stars on the weekend in their 10-6 victory over the Indigenous All Stars.
While Kiwi mentor Blair claims this is because none were made available, Raiders coach Stuart says his camp was never contacted.
“There’s so many talented players that could’ve been here but [couldn’t be] due to pressures,” Blair said.
“For example, I love our Canberra boys and we could have taken five or six of them and put them in our squad.
“But I get it, those are five of Canberra’s best players.
“The more they hold everyone accountable then it becomes easier for the clubs to go, ‘Well, the game says you have to play — unless you’re injured — you go and play’.”
Stuart hit back on Monday, calling Blair’s comments “ridiculous” and “childish”.
“It was ridiculous,” he said.
“It was a childish comment; it comes from a very inexperienced coach.
“He’s obviously coaching the way he used to play — very selfishly.
“This club still has not got an email asking for any of the boys to play in the Maori football team.
“Blair has really tarnished our relationship with that game.
“For Blair to come out and say that, when he didn’t even communicate with this club, is wrong.
“It comes from an inexperienced person who is trying to coach.
“Our longstanding support and absolute understanding how special the NRL All Stars game is has been deeply tarnished by these naive comments from an inexperienced person.
“This proud club does more for our Maori, Pasifika and Indigenous players than Adam Blair would ever do and will ever know of.
“Our players made a decision not to play by themselves, many of which without our knowledge due to the way the Maori team conducted their communication.
“To say we’re disappointed by the comments made by Adam Blair is an understatement.”
Stuart did go on to emphasise that he believes the game comes at the wrong time of year.
The Raiders are preparing to fly to Las Vegas for the opening fixture of the 2025 NRL Premiership on Saturday, March 1.
They will take on the New Zealand Warriors, where they are $2.30 underdogs at Marantelli Bet.
Canberra head into the 2025 season on the last line of NRL Premiership betting, paying as high as $67 with rugby league bookmakers.