<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>327170</docID> <postdate>2024-08-20 15:09:42</postdate> <headline>‘Disappointed dad’ Ricky right to fire up: Raiders</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-327171" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/20240316001918409090-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>Coach Ricky Stuart didn't mince words after Canberra's heavy loss to North Queensland. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Jacob Shteyman</strong> in Canberra</span></p> <p><strong>Ricky Stuart's press conference spray after his Canberra side's pitiful loss to North Queensland was nothing compared to the scolding he reserved for his players, says second-rower Hudson Young.</strong></p> <p>Stuart publicly excoriated his men for a "precious, spoilt" performance in Saturday's 42-4 defeat which all but ended their NRL finals chances.</p> <p>And he had every right to, said Young.</p> <p>It was the fifth time the Raiders have conceded 40 points or more this season, and the second in two games.</p> <p>Young felt they had developed an unacceptable habit of throwing in the towel when the going got tough.</p> <p>"We spoke all week about going up there and putting a performance in, especially with our season on the line. So as a team, we're really embarrassed of that," he said.</p> <p>"We've got to be mentally tougher and better as a footy team.</p> <p>"What you saw in the press conference was probably nothing compared to what we got in the sheds."</p> <p>Halfback Jamal Fogarty said the players knew immediately they had let Stuart down.</p> <p>"I think the best thing about Stick (Stuart) is he's honest. And if that's the way he feels, then obviously that's a reflection of us," he said.</p> <p>"He was more disappointed than probably an angry Ricky Stewart blow-up.</p> <p>"He was more like a disappointed dad, I guess, and really embarrassed by the way we played.</p> <p>"When you do play poorly, you're the first person to know. So we don't need other people telling us how bad we played."</p> <p>A win against the Cowboys would've lifted the Raiders to 10th on the ladder, level on points with the Dolphins and just two points behind eighth-placed St George Illawarra.</p> <p>Instead, they remain stuck in 12th, requiring other results to go their way to make finals even if they manage to win their remaining three games.</p> <p>That would be a feat in itself, with triple-reigning premiers Penrith their next opponent, before tricky trips to the in-form Roosters and Dragons.</p> <p>"If there's still a possibility, then we definitely got to hang on to that," Fogarty said.</p> <p>"Obviously, a lot of people are going to say there's no chance, they're not going to win three games from three, and other teams aren't going to lose three.</p> <p>"But I think for us, we still got to believe that we that we're still a chance and start this weekend."</p> </body>