Ricky Stuart

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Ricky Stuart
Personal information
Nickname	Sticky
Born	7 January 1967 (1967-01-07) (age 42)
	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Playing information
Height	176 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	83 kg (13 st 1 lb)
Height	176 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	83 kg (13 st 1 lb)
Position	Halfback
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1988–1998	Canberra Raiders	203	39	7	25	195
1999–2000	Bulldogs	40	2	0	2	10
	Total	243	41	7	27	205
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
1990–1994	New South Wales	14	3	0	0	12
1990–1994	Australia	9	1	0	1	5
Coaching information
Club
Years	Team	Gms	W	D	L	W%
2002–2006	Sydney Roosters	130	79	1	50	61
2007–	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	65	33	0	32	51
	Total	195	112	1	82	57
Representative
Years	Team	Gms	W	D	L	W%
2004	Country Origin	1	1	0	0	100
2005	New South Wales	3	2	0	1	67
2006–2008	Australia	11	10	0	1	91
Source: Rugby League Project

Ricky Stuart (born 7 January 1967 in Queanbeyan, New South Wales) is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player. He is presently the head coach for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks of the NRL. Before becoming the Sharks' coach in 2007, Stuart coached the Sydney Roosters who he took to a premiership in his first year. He also previously coached the Australian national rugby league team and the New South Wales State of Origin team.

A former international representative rugby league and rugby union player - a dual-code international - Stuart also played State of Origin for New South Wales in the first Gould era. At club level, Ricky Stuart was the half-back of the "Green Machine", the Canberra Raiders team that won 3 premierships in 1989, 1990 and 1994 and were runners up in 1991 who were coached by Tim Sheens.

[edit] Playing career

[edit] Early years

Stuart had originally played rugby league as a child and his father was a prominent member of Canberra's football community^{[citation needed]} but he took up rugby union while attending St Edmund's College.^[1] Stuart's union career was with the Queanbeyan Whites before being selected for the Wallabies tour of Argentina in 1987. Stuart would later remark that he could have earned more playing union due to Amateurism, than by moving back to his childhood game of league.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Canberra Raiders

Stuart then switched codes to league and joined the Canberra Raiders team in 1988, winning the club's player of the year award that season. He was a key member of the club's most successful period in the late 1980s, playing halfback inside a backline including legendary talents Laurie Daley, Mal Meninga and Gary Belcher. Stuart won three premierships with the Canberra Raiders, playing 203 games and winning the Clive Churchill Medal in 1990. In 1992 and 1993 he was again named the Raiders' player of the year and in 1993 Stuart won the Dally M Medal for the Winfield Cup's Player of the Year.

Ricky Stuart debuted in the 2nd test of the 1990 Kangaroo tour against Great Britain in London in October 1990. His first test of the 94 tour was also the 2nd test. He was preceded both times by Allan Langer. His 1990 appearance saw him become Australia's 38th dual code rugby international, following Michael O'Connor and preceding Scott Gourley. He played nine test matches for Australia from 1990, touring with the Australian side to Great Britain and France in 1990 and 1994. Stuart also played fourteen State of Origin matches for New South Wales. He was named man-of-the-match in the second game of the 1990 series.

[edit] Bulldogs

Stuart retired from first grade after playing 40 games for the Canterbury Bulldogs in 1999 and 2000.

[edit] Coaching career

[edit] Sydney Roosters

Stuart began his first grade coaching career in 2002 with the Sydney Roosters, taking over from Graham Murray and winning the premiership in his first year as coach. In 2003 and 2004 Stuart-coached Roosters sides were beaten in Grand Finals, but the team struggled in 2005 and 2006 despite the high calibre of the player roster. Stuart's contract was terminated and he left the Roosters two weeks before the end of the 2006 season.

[edit] Cronulla Sharks

In 2007 Stuart took over as coach at the Cronulla Sharks with a two year contract. He replaced Stuart Raper.

[edit] Representative Coaching

In 2005, Stuart was appointed coach of the New South Wales. His coaching approach continued the Phil Gould legacy of matching the Queensland passion by focussing the NSW players' pride in the jumper and achievements of those who have worn it before.

In 2006 Stuart was appointed as coach of Australian national rugby league team, replacing Wayne Bennett after Australia's loss in the 2005 Tri-Nations final to New Zealand. Stuart enjoyed success with the Kangaroos: winning the Anzac Tests of 2006 & 2007, as well as the Tri Nations series of 2006, thus regaining the mantle of World Champions. In addition, at the end of the 2007 season, the team won a one-off Test against New Zealand.

Ricky Stuart has stood down his position as Australian coach and has been handed a $20,000 fine as of 8 December 2008.

[edit] World Cup 2008 Controversy

Stuart's Australian team lost the 2008 Rugby League World Cup final to New Zealand, 34-20. Afterwards he was reported to be so incensed by the defeat that he verbally attacked Geoff Carr, the Chief Executive of Australian Rugby League, claiming that tournament organizers and match officials conspired to cause the Australian loss.^[2] The next morning he had a chance meeting with Ashley Klein, who refereed the final, and Stuart Cummings, England's director of referees, at their hotel. He is reported to have verbally abused both officials in front of a number of witnesses, calling Klein a cheat, and of being physically and aggressively intimidating.^[3] A formal investigation of the incident is underway.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Stuart Appointed Kangaroos Coach Australian Rugby League
• Sydney Roosters Profile Sydney Roosters Rugby League 2006
• National Rugby League Profile National Rugby League Home
• Ricky Stuart Rugby League Tables & Statistics
• State of Origin / New South Wales Players Rugby League Tables & Statistics

{{Navbox rugby league squad

| name      = Australia 2008 Rugby League World Cup squad
 | bg       = #005100
 | fg       = #FFCC33
| team link = Australia national rugby league team
| title     = Australia squad
| comp      = 2008 Rugby League World Cup Finalists
| comp link = 2008 Rugby League World Cup

| list =