The Canberra Raiders say the passion coach Ricky Stuart shows on the sideline helps lift his young team.
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Stuart is one of the few NRL coaches, if not the only one, who sits on the sideline during the game, where he's a favourite of the television cameras because of the emotion he shows.
The NRL tweeted a video of Stuart celebrating the Raiders' thrilling golden-point victory over the New Zealand Warriors last weekend, leaping in the air following captain Jarrod Croker's match-winning try.
Ricky Stuart jumping for joy.#NRLRaidersWarriors #NRL #HistoryHappens pic.twitter.com/vIW0I073gq— NRL (@NRL) July 23, 2016
He'll be camped on the sideline again for their clash against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.
Raiders prop Joe Tapine will come off the bench against Souths and as a bench player has spent a lot of time in the dugout with Stuart.
He said having Stuart nearby meant the coach was able to deliver any instructions first-hand and the 22-year-old felt it helped his game.
"I like it as an interchange person, because he's telling you a message directly," Tapine said.
"You get it from the source and when you come off he lets you know what you need to do the next time you go back on. I enjoy it, I reckon it's good.
"I enjoy seeing [the passion]. Most players like to make the coach proud and the staff proud so when you see stuff like that it makes you happy, especially when the crowd gets into it too."
On the flipside, when things aren't going as well, Tapine joked you could notice that too.
Stuart recently said he wished he could handle losing better, but it "knocks him around" and he takes losses too hard.
"Sometimes you feel it and try to avoid it, but you definitely feel both sides of it," Tapine laughed.
Raiders lock Shaun Fensom said Stuart's approach was clearly working.
The Raiders have won seven of their past eight games, including the last four straight, and have climbed into the top four.
"I think that's just his style of coaching. He's a very passionate man and being down on the sideline he's closer to the play. It's just the way he likes to do it. It's working for us," he said.
Raiders hooker Adam Clydsdale made his debut for Canberra against the Warriors and has kept his spot on the bench for the Rabbitohs game.
Stuart came over to him just before he went on for the first time, shaking Clydsdale's hand and wishing him good luck.
Clydsdale joined the Raiders after playing 40 NRL games in three seasons with the Newcastle Knights .
He felt his teammates also got a lot out of Stuart's presence on the sidelines.
"It gives good support there. Before I went on [for my first Raiders game] he shook my hand and it's good to have that support and I think all the boys get a lot out of it as well," Clydsdale said.
NRL ROUND 21
Sunday: Canberra Raiders v South Sydney Rabbitohs at ANZ Stadium, 2pm. Live on Fox Sports 1.
