Ricky Stuart's emotional tribute to Elliott Whitehead after Raiders captain's Canberra farewell
Elliott Whitehead couldn't hold back his tears after his last match in Canberra, but surprisingly his coach Ricky Stuart kept his emotions in check.
The Raiders shocked defending premiers Penrith at home in a 22-18 result as Whitehead's career in the NRL begins to wind up.
Stuart was asked post-match about the influence of his captain, with Whitehead immediately replying "you'll get him crying".
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The Raiders coach held it together though and delivered a special tribute after Whitehead surpassed Stuart for games played in the green jersey with 204.
Ricky Stuart and Elliott Whitehead during their press conference. Nine
"He always gets into me because I'm emotional so I won't get emotional," Stuart said in his press conference.
"He's been one of our best buys from England and we've had some great ones in Hodgo (Josh Hodgson), George (Williams), John (Bateman), we've got Morgan (Smithies) now ... Sutto (Ryan Sutton) and Elliott's there.
"He's followed Josh's boots in regards to being our captain, the players absolutely adore Elliott and once the season finishes he's one of my best mates."
"204 today, if I had of known, I wouldn't of played him," Stuart jokingly added.
Whitehead came to the Raiders in 2016 after stints at Bradford Bulls and Catalans Dragons.
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The second-rower was part of an English revolution at the Raiders amid the arrivals of Hodgson, Williams and Bateman over the years. Whitehead was the last man standing among that group.
The 34-year-old will return to Catalans at the end of the season, with Stuart declaring he officially made his mark in the NRL.
"Elliott's turned up here as a guy who wanted to challenge himself playing in the NRL," he said.
"He's won that challenge and he's also become a leader in our club in regards to our captain and he'll be here at many reunions in our reunion days with our old boys and he'll be the one at the bar where he'll have 10 or 15 blokes around him because he's just adored by everybody."
Elliott Whitehead high-fives his daughter. Nine
Stuart and Whitehead weren't the main shows during the press conference, with the second-rower's daughter stealing the show.
The press conference ended with Whitehead high-fiving his daughter as he departed GIO Stadium for the last time.
