More on the Raiders decision to re-sign Ricky Stuart for a further two years. He was already committed to the club until 2023, meaning his new deal takes him through until the end of 2025.
“I’m very excited about it, it’s something I’ve been talking to (Group CEO) Simon Hawkins about for a couple of weeks,” Stuart said.
“I appreciate the support. The support from the board and (CEO) Don (Furner) has been second to none. It’s what a coach needs. A coach needs longevity. To build a competitive roster it’s so important to have that support behind you, knowing that everyone’s rowing in the same direction.
“We’ve built a roster that’s got a lot of youth and they’re all gaining experience and I see a bright future.”
The Raiders are in a fight for one of the final spots in the top-eight, currently sitting in 10th on the ladder, two points behind eighth-placed Manly.
They’ve gone backwards every year since making the grand final in 2019, falling in the preliminary finals in 2020 and missing the eight altogether last year.
“We’re all wanting what our fans want, which is to win a grand final, and that’s something I work at every day of my life,” Stuart explained.
“I won’t be coaching anywhere else after this coaching position, but when I feel and know that I’m not the right person for the job, I’ve said to Don, and Simon and (chairman) Allan (Hawke) a number of times that I will tell you, you won’t have to tell me.”
The Raiders play the Warriors on Saturday night.