Ricky Stuart criticized referees for not ejecting Reece Walsh after a controversial headbutt incident.
Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart expressed his frustration over a refereeing decision in a game he deemed one of the best in recent memory. He felt the match officials made a significant error when Brisbane fullback Reece Walsh was not sent off for a headbutt. Instead, Walsh received a ten-minute sin bin penalty in the second half for the headbutt directed at Hudson Young, who was also sin binned for his involvement in the incident.
While Stuart stopped short of explicitly stating that Walsh should have been ejected, he remarked that the NRL referees had established a new standard by implying that headbutting is now permissible. "It doesn't matter what I think about it," he said during his post-match press conference in response to queries regarding the Walsh-Young confrontation. "They have set a precedent now. You're allowed to headbutt."
Raiders captain Joseph Tapine also shared his confusion regarding the penalties assessed in the incident. He highlighted that Hudson Young was merely celebrating a play that forced a mistake, raising questions about the logic behind the punishment. "The ref said he got in his face, I said you're allowed to celebrate a play. I said if I was to celebrate and someone punched me, am I in the wrong for celebrating?" Tapine recounted his on-field dialogue with referee Ashley Klein following the altercation.