sport news Former NRL hardmen Mark Geyer and Paul Gallen clash over whether Ricky Stuart ... trends now
Former Penrith champion second rower Mark Geyer believes the NRL has 'no option' but to suspend Raiders coach Ricky Stuart for his comments about Panthers player Jaeman Salmon.
Stuart was interviewed by NRL Head of Integrity Jason King on Monday morning in relation to his comments in the wake of the club's loss to Penrith on Saturday.
Speaking about an incident where Salmon lashed out and kicked Canberra player Tom Starling in the groin, Stuart did not hold back.
'Where Salmon kicked Tommy, it ain't on,' he said.
'I've had history with that kid (Salmon), I know that kid very well. He was a weak-gutted dog as a kid, and he hasn't changed now, he's a weak-gutted dog person now.'
Elliot Whitehead looks on as Stuart makes the extraordinary comments to the media
Salmon struck Raiders player Tom Starling in the groin during the Panthers win on Saturday
Stuart has since apologised by the Salmon family has demanded the NRL take action.
The veteran Raiders coach has already amassed about $135,000 in fines since his NRL coaching debut in 2002 and there is a school of thought that fines are not getting the message through to serial offenders.
Stuart now faces unprecedented action that could include a suspension or being barred from post-match press conferences.
Triple M pundit and former NRL hard man Mark Geyer believes Stuart has to be suspended
Geyer said a precedent needed to be set.
'They're pretty harsh words,' Geyer said on Triple M.
'This is unprecedented for mine, I have never seen a press conference like that and there's a reason we don't see it, because you're not allowed to say what he said, quite simply.
'I don't get Ricky Stuart's side. I really don't. He's a 55-year-old male who's coached 500 games, he's been in the game so long, and if that was his son, how would he feel if someone said that about his son?
'The NRL have no option. I'm afraid they have no option, there is a precedent that needs to be set. If a coach or player goes out next weekend, I want them deterred from saying something so bad about a person.
'It's not because I'm a Penrith ex-player, if this was anyone … people saying I'm biased, I'm not biased, I'm just putting myself in the situation of the Salmon family. If that was my son I'd be filthy. I'd be knocking on his
