Canberra CEO Don Furner says the Raiders are ready to accept any punishment handed down by the NRL over Ricky Stuart’s post-match attack on Jaeman Salmon, which could include suspension from future games.
After Penrith’s 26-6 defeat of the Raiders, Stuart labelled the Panthers’ stand-in five-eighth a “weak-gutted dog” for kicking Tom Starling in the groin.
Salmon ran afoul of the Canberra coach while playing with his son as a pre-teen in 2010, reportedly reducing the younger Stuart to tears in an incident that led to a confrontation between the pair’s fathers.
“‘Where Salmon kicked Tommy, it ain’t on,” Stuart said on Saturday.
“I have had history with that kid (Salmon). I know that kid very well.
“He was a weak gutted dog as a kid and he hasn’t changed now. He is a weak gutted dog person now.”
In their first statement since Stuart’s comments, the Raiders said they did not endorse the coach’s behaviour but understood it.
“As a club we do not condone the comments made by Ricky in Saturday night’s press conference and we are currently in dialogue with the NRL and cooperating with all their inquiries,” Furner said.
“We will accept their findings and any sanctions they hand down.
“Being a head coach is a high-pressure job and comes with intense scrutiny from fans, media, and public and we understand emotion is high following a match.
“However, as a club we acknowledge that coaches also have a responsibility to ensure they conduct themselves professionally when making public comment.”
The Panthers won’t comment on the matter publicly until the NRL Integrity Unit’s investigation is finalised.
But the NRL told AAP there was no timeline set for handing punishment to Stuart, who has become known for his post-match comments.
Stuart has yet to contact the Panthers or Salmon personally since the incident but did release a public apology on Sunday.
Salmon has pleaded guilty to the grade one contrary conduct charge incurred for the kick and will escape suspension with a $1,000 fine.
The Panthers told AAP the usually confident and mild-mannered Salmon was still rattled by the incident when he returned to training for recovery on Monday.
Despite Stuart’s public apology, the Salmon family urged the NRL to consider a serious sanction in a statement of their own released on Sunday.
The Panthers expect Salmon to line up against Melbourne on Thursday, with regular five-eighth Jarome Luai sidelined for at least the next three weeks with a knee injury.
Penrith’s other five-eighth option, Kurt Falls, made a successful return from injury over the weekend.
Elsewhere, James Fisher-Harris has accepted a two match ban for his high tackle on Canberra’s Ryan Sutton, becoming the latest premiership Panther forced to the sidelines.
By pleading guilty to his grade three careless high tackle charge, he will join Nathan Cleary (suspension), Viliame Kikau (hip injury) and Jarome Luai (knee injury) as unavailable for the match against the Storm.
Canberra winger Nick Cotric will miss the Dragons clash on Sunday at GIO Stadium after copping a one match ban for a high shot.
