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 door the next day. 'I think he's got to be suspended, for the first time ever in NRL history, a coach has to be suspended for his after-match comments about a player.' Another former NRL hardman has a very different view, though. Paul Gallen has called post-match press conferences 'stupid' and says suspending Stuart for his comments about Salmon would be 'preposterous' Cronulla Sharks premiership winner Paul Gallen believes that Stuart was baited into making the comments and believes mandatory post-match media conferences are the real issue. 'Doing a media conference moments after a game is just stupid,' he wrote for Channel Nine. 'What's happened with Ricky is exactly what the media wants and it's what the public wants. To an extent it's what those running the game want too, although obviously not in the manner that we saw on Saturday night. 'Everyone wants someone to go into that media conference and say something stupid or outrageous so we've got something to talk about for three or four days. The whole rugby league media cycle is built on that. 'The trouble is, as soon as someone says something controversial, we want to punish them and hang them out to dry. Suspending Ricky would be preposterous.' Stuart could become the first NRL coach to ever be suspended after his shocking comments Fox Sports journalist James Hooper called suggestions of any suspension 'overkill'. 'The suggestions Stuart should be suspended for the rest of the season is BS,' he wrote. 'We're not living in China or Russia here, we can't be suspending head coaches based on censorship. 'Yes it was a heavy-handed, personal attack and no question it crossed the line in terms of the responsibilities of an NRL head coach. 'Ricky's apologised for the outburst and clarified it was the wrong forum to take aim at Salmon in such a vitriolic manner. 'In isolation, it's a shocker and Ricky will get a heavy fine as a result. 'But to suggest he be banned for the remainder of the season is overkill.' It is anticipated that the NRL's investigation will be completed within 24 to 48 hours. Canberra chief executive Don Furner said on Monday afternoon that the Raiders were cooperating with investigations. 'As a club we do not condone the comments made by Ricky in Saturday night's press conference and we are currently in dialogue with the NRL and cooperating with all their inquiries. We will accept their findings and any sanctions they hand down,' Furner said. 'Being a Head Coach is a high-pressure job and comes with intense scrutiny from fans, media, and public and we understand emotion is high following a match. 'However, as a club we acknowledge that coaches also have a responsibility to ensure they conduct themselves professionally when making public comment. 'Ricky has already publicly apologised for his actions on Saturday night, and we will continue to support him both professionally and personally.' All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility