Being a coach of any sporting team is not a job for the faint-hearted, especially in the NRL.
Rugby League coaches are put under the spotlight 24-7 with their every move questioned, scrutinized, and analyzed by anyone and everyone.
Sometimes that pressure can really get to the coach’s box and they all let it out in public.
Being a coach of any sporting team is not a job for the faint-hearted, especially in the NRL.
Rugby League coaches are put under the spotlight 24-7 with their every move questioned, scrutinized, and analyzed by anyone and everyone.
Sometimes that pressure can really get to the coach’s box and they all let it out in public.
Occasionally it will be a deflection tactic to get the headlines away from the team’s on field performance, while other times they just let their temper get the better of them.
We’re not sure exactly what Ricky Stuart was thinking of last weekend when he went after Panthers player Jaeman Salmon.
Ricky Stuart's statement to 9News after his explosive press conference last night.
Sunday Footy Show | LIVE on Channel 9 and 9Now#9WWOS #NRL pic.twitter.com/hc2KJMxY3d
— NRL on Nine (@NRLonNine) August 7, 2022
It’s not the first time we’ve seen Stuart go off in front of a microphone, in fact, he’s got a pretty impressive rap sheet when it comes to making a statement, then having to follow it up with an apology.
NRL coach Ricky Stuart apologises after suggesting netball 'not tough', hopes sport enjoyed the media attention | @sarah_keoghan https://t.co/U98xUy1tAh
— The Sydney Morning Herald (@smh) May 14, 2021
That little gem came in the aftermath of the 2021 Magic Round, which was most notable for a crackdown on head high tackles which saw a litany of penalties, sin bins and even a send off.
While we can’t agree with Stuart’s sporting comparison, he wasn’t alone in his frustration over the way that weekend was refereed.
1⃣ 2⃣ sin bins and 1⃣ send off…
Pressure mounting as players and coaches call out 'ridiculous' NRL crackdown
MORE: https://t.co/ub6cyQ8oKe pic.twitter.com/A4ZQhqJQa5
— Fox League (@FOXNRL) May 15, 2021
We could have devoted this entire blog post to Ricky to be honest.
“When you get shit refereeing, sorry, when you get poor refereeing decisions that are just incorrect, purely incorrect, that frustrates you because it’s a tight competition and every game’s a tight game”
That little outburst cost old mate Ricky $10k
This image of him back in his Parramatta days sums it all up.
And while we could celebrate the genius tactics or inspirational speeches some coaches have given out in the past we know you’re just here to watch clips/view photos of them cracking the shits.
Here are some of the all-time greatest hits of NRL Coaches getting cranky:
Des Hasler
The gift that keeps on giving.
When he’s not referring to the refs as “Voldermorts”
Or when the blokes in the corporate box are trying to get an insight into how Des operates in the coaches box
That time a corporate box spectator tried to eavesdrop on Des Hasler's coaching. 😆#NRL pic.twitter.com/OkrFnvkBgm
— @Georgebakhos1 (@GeorgeBakhos1) June 22, 2020
Nothing will compare with the time Des broke the door.
Craig Bellamy
Facebook.
Instagram.
Tinder.
Phil Gould
Gus Gould an angry old bugger?
NO. WAY.
When I think calm, cool and collected Gus Gould is the very first person that springs to mind.
Bill Harrigan was way out of line when he sent him off back in 1994.
Nathan Brown
For some, “The Slap” is a 2011 Logie Award ABC mini-series based on the novel by Christos Tsiolkas starring the likes of Melissa George (Angel from Home and Away), Jonathan La Paglia and Alex Dimitriades.
In the world of Rugby Leauge, “The Slap” is the time then St.George-Illawarra coach Nathan Brown slapped Trent Barrett at WIN Stadium back in 2003 in full view of the cameras.
The Dragons lost the game 38-12.
Wayne Bennett
The GOAT of coaching is also the GOAT of being a grumpy old man.
Nobody does it better.
It’s best summed up in this picture.
Tommy Raudonikis (RIP)
The great man passed away earlier in 2021, but one can only imagine the kind of sprays old Tommy would have given back in his day.
If you took it personally, he’d tell you to HARDEN UP.
Roy Masters
Post coaching, Roy has made a name for himself being cranky.
This is just some of his finest work back in the day coaching the Fibros.
Mal Meninga
To be fair, Mal’s been relatively calm during his coaching career.
We just wanted an excuse to focus on his attempt to become a politician.
Geoff Toovey
If we left him off this list, then there definitely would have been an investigation.
This press conference spray might be the bes of the bunch.