'It is a disgrace': Ricky rages over question as Dragons incident comes to light

Yahoo

06-07-2025

Ricky Stuart has taken an extraordinary swipe at the media after being asked a question about an incident involving Dragons half Kyle Flanagan during Saturday night's game against Canberra. Stuart's Raiders took another giant step towards clinching the NRL minor premiership by hanging on for a 28-24 win in a controversial clash at GIO Stadium.
But the Raiders coach was livid in his post-match press conference after being asked about a section of home fans that booed Dragons No.7 Flanagan during the game. The halfback - and son of coach Shane Flanagan - has come in for heavy criticism during St George Illawarra's stuttering season, with many critics suggesting his ongoing selection reeks of nepotism.
The young half was subjected to booing from Canberra fans during Saturday night's game, prompting a reporter to ask the Dragons coach about the backlash against his son. 'Never heard it. What would the crowd be booing Kyle for?' Flanagan senior asked. 'I think they do that, so good on them, it's going to happen everywhere.
Stuart wasn't so quick to brush it off though and credited the young Flanagan with masterminding the Dragons' comeback against his side. But the Canberra coach - whose son Jed plays on the wing for him at the Raiders - took aim at the media for fuelling the commentary around the opposition playmaker.
'Probably a poor question too when you ask Shane about his son,' Stuart said. 'I think it is a disgrace how you guys in the media are just absolutely bashing the kid publicly. And that question there about the booing, like honestly, I have got a son playing and that's my biggest fear, you people.
'Not him, but the media. The way he is being portrayed in the media at the moment that poor kid. I went up to him after the game and took him aside and spoke to him. I've known him since he has been a little boy. He was the leader tonight. He led the charge in terms of them getting back into that game.
'I think it is a disgrace that his so-called Dragons supporters, the social media and the bulls**t that he has to listen to and cop... You have got to actually look at some of these people involved. It would be torture for his mother. I know his old man will handle it, but it would be torture for his mother. Can you imagine if it was one of yours. That's when it becomes real.'
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Victory for Stuart's side saw them maintain their two-point advantage at the top of the ladder - with two byes still to come - following Melbourne's victory over North Queensland in the night's later game. But the Raiders once again did it the hard way after letting their opponents back into the contest, following a stunning hat-trick from Kaeo Weekes.
The third for the Raiders fullback was described by many fans as the try of the season as Weekes caught a high ball deep in his own half, beat a slew of defenders and raced the best part of 90 metres to score. Down by 16 points with less than 20 minutes to go, the Dragons set up a grandstand finish with tries to Tyrell Sloan and Flanagan reducing the deficit to four.
Canberra ultimately held off the fast-finishing Dragons, whose coach suggested they were robbed of a Sloan try in the first half that was chalked off due to a contentious forward pass call. 'When you're a side flying high like the Raiders, you probably see that they get the bounce of the ball and they deserve it because they're at the top of the table," the Dragons coach said. "And when you're where we're at in the middle of the table sometimes you feel that you just don't get the rub of the green, so it's a tough one and in the end that's the difference.'
Shane Flanagan was fuming at a shocking forward pass call in his side's loss to the Raiders 😡The Dragons' coach believes his side should have won...MORE 👉 https://t.co/RswFmAF7Mr pic.twitter.com/bLjdQAH7DL
— Fox League (@FOXNRL) July 5, 2025
You can't call that pass to Sloan forward.....what are they looking at?Ridiculous..#nrlraidersdragons 🏉🏉...not even close...
— Rabbitears (@MBeadon) July 5, 2025
Shane Flanagan was fuming in the post-game press conference over a forward pass call that denied Tyrell Sloan a try in the four point loss to Canberra. Also again alluded to the idea that lower ranked clubs don't get the rub of the green. pic.twitter.com/HIyyThR17O
— The League Scene (@LeagueScenePod) July 5, 2025