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Sport Nation
The inside story on Jed Stuart’s debut
Nicholas Quinlan • June 20th, 2025 6:03 pm
The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio has given the inside story of how Jed Stuart’s debut came to be for the Raiders.
Jed, who will play on the wing for the Green Machine against the Wests Tigers was handed his debut by his father and coach Ricky Stuart.
With his debut, Ricky and Jed become the fourth father-son pair to have played for the Raiders.
According to Riccio, it proved to be quite the emotional rollercoaster in the lead-up to the announcement for the Stuart family.
“I love the way that it unfolded,” Riccio noted on SEN 1170's Breakfast with Vossy and Brandy.
“It was actually Joe Tapine and Ricky won’t confirm this to me, but I am absolutely certain that this is the case.
“He got Joe Tapine to phone Jed Stuart because simply Ricky couldn’t do it and such is the emotion.
“Joe phoned Jed just a couple of minutes before he was due on the massage table inside Raiders HQ, and it just gave Jed a couple of moments to phone his Mum Kaylie.
“She was on the third at the golf course, putting in at the time. She breaks down in tears on the course. His brother Jackson, was the one who presented his jersey, spoke so well Jacko.
“And then I did mention Emma (Stuart), who we know is such a beautiful young lady who suffers from autism, and I asked Jed, 'Mate, how about Emma?'.
“It was at that point of the phone call that he really did become emotional, and this is what I’m talking about.
“It just captivates everyone in and around them. And it was after his massage that Jed finally made his way upstairs, (and) knocked on his dad’s office door.
“And nothing more could Ricky get out was congratulations before he started to break down in tears.
“It’s going to be a special occasion tonight. I hope he goes well.
“He’s had to wait so long to get this debut to the point that it is overdue.
"He was the 18th man in Round 1 at Las Vegas and it only really been the convincing of the senior leaders of the Raiders club including Hudson Young, Joe Tapine and Big Papa (Josh Papali'i) have forced Ricky to say ‘C’mon Rick, that’s enough, it’s time to play him’.”
The second-place Raiders will play the Wests Tigers at Campbelltown on Friday night.
A victory with a margin of two points or more would be enough to see the Raiders sit in top spot for the round while the Bulldogs have the bye.
