In what won’t be a surprise to anyone, Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has revealed he can’t stand being filmed on the sideline.

Always coaching from field level, Stuart rides every play with high emotion, often making for entertaining television as cameras track the Raiders coach during pressure-filled moments.

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On the rare occasions, Stuart will take umbrage to those following him with a camera, before always issuing an apology for his outburst to the cameraman at the end of the game.

In a wide-ranging interview with journalists Andrew Webster and Phil Rothfield on the ‘Off the Record’ podcast, Stuart spoke about being filmed during unflattering sideline moments.

“I don’t need a camera. I don’t like kids seeing me swear on TV. I don’t like being on the camera, I have a job to do,” Stuart said.

“And I know he (cameraman) has a job to do to make me look like a fool and jumping up and down.

“I don’t like it. It’s not about me, it’s about the game.”

When Rothfield put to Stuart that the broadcasters are always chasing theatre, the Raiders coach wasn’t moved.

“I’m not about the theatre. I have a job to do. I’m not there to sell television rights.”

Stuart is the only coach in the league who is constantly barking orders from the sideline, but there are others, such as Benji Marshall, who can sometimes be seen down with his players throughout the 80 minutes.

The Raiders coach explained why he prefers to be on the sideline, even when he has to brave the biting cold Canberra weather during winter games at GIO Stadium.

“It is something I have done from the early days and I don’t feel comfortable being in the box,” Stuart said.

“I’ve got eyes, I’ve got stats coming down to me from up in the coaching box.

“I’m on the sideline because that’s where I’m best for the player, for the team and I make better decisions on the sideline.”

Stuart’s Raiders have been the biggest surprise packet of the 2025 season, as they sit in first with three rounds remaining and the favourite to collect the minor premiership.

This weekend, they face their stiffest test of the season with a date with the Panthers on Friday night in Mudgee.

A win against the defending champions would almost guarantee Canberra finish the season atop the NRL ladder.

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It would be a remarkable feat given the Raiders’ were the bookies favourites to finish the season with the most losses, not wins.

According to Rothfield, no matter where Canberra end up finishing, their stunning rise up the ladder should result in Stuart collecting the Dally M Coach of the Year award.

“Ricky Stuart without doubt should win it,” Rothfield said on the Big Sports Breakfast.

“You know what price I reckon Ricky is? $1.04.

“No one gave them any hope whatsoever at the beginning of the year. A lot of people had them running last.

“We now know that Ethan Strange and all these guys can play but we didn’t at the start of the year. We didn’t know Kaeo Weekes was going to be such a boom player at fullback.

“I think he’s home and hosed for coach of the year.”