LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
'Tough teams pull it back': Ricky Stuart tears into embarrassing Raiders
In a display that would make even the toughest rugby league fans grimace, Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart didn't hold back in his criticism of his team's lackluster performance against the Wests Tigers in Round 16.
Right from the get-go, Stuart's side was on the back foot, with the Tigers landing the first blow with a try by Lachlan Galvin just three minutes into the game.
The Raiders were barely in the contest as they trailed 18-2 at halftime, lucky to not be facing an even larger deficit with three Tigers tries disallowed.
The second half didn't bring any relief for the Raiders, with Benji Marshall's squad dominating by scoring four tries, including one right after the break.
In the post-game presser, Stuart didn't mince words about his team's lack of grit, stating that they are "not a tough football team at the moment."
In the brutal world of rugby league, toughness is everything, and it seems the Raiders have some soul-searching to do if they want to turn their season around.
Fans will be hoping they can channel some of that famous green machine spirit and bounce back stronger in the coming weeks.