Stuart: Raiders ‘bent over backwards’ for money-hungry Young
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart says the club “bent over backwards” in their efforts to re-sign Hudson Young and claims the representative back-rower’s interest in the PNG Chiefs is purely money-driven.
The veteran coach also admits he’s taken Young’s snubbing of Canberra “personally”.
Canberra gun Hudson Young. Paul Kane/Getty Images
Late last month, the Raiders sensationally pulled what was the richest offer tabled to a player in the club’s history – a four-year deal worth $1.1 million per season – having grown sick and tired of protracted negotiations.
On Wednesday, Young touched down in Port Moresby for a tour of the Chiefs’ facilities, ahead of the expansion club’s entry into the NRL in 2028.
The Chiefs are offering the off-contract NSW Blues gun $900,000 a season. Crucially, the dollars are tax-free.
Stuart was asked about the icy situation on ABC radio on Thursday.
“We couldn’t have offered Hudson any more,” Stuart said.
“I mean, we bent over backwards to try and keep Hudson and it would have been unfair on the club if we had went any further.
“We were at a stage where it was probably too much, yet we look after our players and we do everything we possibly can for them.”
Stuart acknowledged that Young was well within his rights to explore his free-agency options, but suggested the boom edge forward was solely driven by the tax-free dollars and lucrative third-party deals at the Chiefs’ disposal.
“Absolutely it is (all about money),” Stuart said.
“That doesn’t bother me one bit. If Hudson wants to make that decision and take those tax-free dollars, you’ve got to understand he’s got to live in Papua New Guinea.”
Young is recovering from an Achilles rupture that ended his season in July.
The 28-year-old is contracted to Canberra until the end of 2027, but there’s no certainty he will see out the deal given the ugly situation at hand.
Young has played 155 NRL games in green since making his first-grade debut for Canberra in 2019.
He has only ever been coached by Stuart in the NRL and has become a State of Origin and Test representative under the club icon’s tutelage.
Hudson Young touches down in Port Moresby. 9News
"I do take it personally, and I take it very personally about coaching this team, this club," Stuart said.
“I do find it difficult at times, but you’ve got to lose the emotion and see the business side of it.
“I’m not disgruntled with the fact that Hudson’s looking elsewhere; that’s his choice and decision.
“But what my club’s done is give him probably the highest offer that’s ever been offered to a player at this club in its time. It was a very, very generous offer, probably too big of an offer, but we did it (and) now he’s knocked it back.
"We've got to move forward. We've got to move on."
Although the Raiders are resigned to losing Young, they are in talks with off-contract Panthers back-rower Liam Martin, who is NSW teammates with Young.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart. Getty Images
As of November 1, a huge number of representative stars have been allowed to negotiate with rival clubs and pledge their allegiances elsewhere for 2028 and beyond.
Stuart disagrees with the system.
"Unfortunately … with our rules and the regulations, the guidelines we have with our ability for players to go off and sign at another club 12 months in advance, it makes it very messy," he said.
“I don’t agree with that interpretation or the guidelines we’ve got in the competition. I think it makes it very messy and I feel very, very sorry for the fans, because you’ve got some of your favourite players, players you want to watch, players you want to keep with your club in 12 months’ time playing elsewhere.
"I think it's very unfair on the fans, but it is what it is."
