10 hours ago
Coach Ricky Stuart's son Jed to make first-grade debut with Canberra Raiders
First it was Martin and John Lang in the early 2000s.
Then Jake and Brad Arthur. Billy and Kevin Walters in Brisbane.
Maybe most famously, Nathan and Ivan Cleary.
Now, it's Jed and Ricky Stuart.
The NRL's most demonstratively passionate and self-proclaimed "emotional" coach, Ricky Stuart, will have an extra reason to reach for the tissues this week, as he watches his son make his first-grade debut.
Jed Stuart will become Raider #404 on Friday night, after being given his NRL call-up for the Round 16 match against the Wests Tigers.
It will mark the first time a Raiders NRL coach has coached his own son in a first-grade capacity, and is only the fourth father-son player legacy for the club.
"I often say, I hate having to deliver bad news to players because I know how hard they work to get into such an elite position.
"I'm no different this week, as a father."
The call-up comes after talented rookie Savelio Tamale sustained a knee injury and is expected to miss an extended period.
It also comes after a lot of hard work and dedication. Stuart, who will celebrate his 24th birthday on Sunday, has played 57 NSW Cup games for the Raiders, after previously being involved in the Australian rugby sevens.
The younger Stuart has been named at 18th man four times this season, before finally getting the chance to take the field this week.
Working as an apprentice while chasing his dream of being an NRL player "hasn't always been easy for Jed", Canberra Raiders Wellbeing Manager Andrew Bishop said.
Named on the wing, where he has played most of his games in NSW Cup, he'll team up with Sebastian Kris, who is marking a milestone of his own this week, notching up 100 NRL games.
Ricky played 203 NRL games between 1988 and 2000, and won three premierships for the Raiders, and joined the Canberra side as coach in 2014.
Shutting down any whispers of nepotism before they could begin, Ricky said it was hard to select his own flesh and blood, and he looked to senior members of the playing group for their input on the situation.
It wasn't a surprise for Ricky when the team backed his son to debut, as the Raiders NRL squad has been behind Jed for a while.
The team was so passionate about Jed's ability, they even twisted their coaches' arm to bring the youngster along to the Raiders match in Las Vegas in Round 1.
"He's worked really hard to get there, he's actually had to work doubly hard — I've made it very hard on him.
"He's earned his spot, let's put it that way."
The Raiders are currently placed 2nd in the NRL, trailing only two points behind the ladder-leading Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
Named on the wing, where he's played most of his games in NSW Cup, he'll team up with Sebastian Kris, who is marking a milestone of his own this week, notching up 100 NRL games.
Despite the senior Stuart's light-hearted claim that his son is only marginally taller than him, the winger's imposing height will be a useful addition for the Green Machine at both ends of the field.
Standing at an imposing 193cm (six feet four inches), Stuart adds an exciting element to the side, able to be targeted with lofting kicks on the wing in attack and diffusing the oppositions bombs in defence.
The Raiders will take on the 13th placed Wests Tigers in Campbelltown on Friday night.
