Locker Room: Looking back at Raiders coach Ricky Stuart's greatest hits

Little old ladies, 47 texts and weak-gutted dogs: welcome to Ricky Stuart's greatest hits.

The Canberra Raiders coach is loyal to a fault and it might just make him the most quotable mentor in the NRL - because if his side has been treated poorly, he won't bite his tongue.

NRL officials say they have no update on whether Stuart could be sanctioned for his post-match press conference after Canberra's loss to Brisbane last week - but he'd be hard done by if he is.

Stuart was left fuming by "contentious" calls which, not for the first time, led those looking for broadcast bites and column inches to a pot of gold.

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"Why do you reckon little old ladies are sitting on their chair going off their head? When little old ladies are going off their head, you've had a bad day," Stuart said.

The Raiders coach was clearly frustrated and he let a Fox Sports cameraman have both barrels when he panned to Stuart on the sideline - but in a surprise move, the broadcaster apologised for getting "in his face" while Canberra were under the pump.

Stuart coaches from the sideline because he can feel what his players feel and speak directly to them - but the attention from cameras is the major drawback.

And Stuart commands attention, which is why he "walked into the change room and I had 47 texts" after a host of staggering calls during a loss to Melbourne in 2017 left Canberra's season hanging by a thread.

But the most notable? That would be the night Stuart copped a $25000 fine for calling Penrith utility Jaeman Salmon a "weak-gutted dog" following an on-field incident which saw Tom Starling kicked in the genitals while making a tackle.

The NRL stung him for that one and Stuart was banned for a week - but we're tipping you're not going to hear any more about last week, which will be good news for the little old ladies.

The last time we saw Josh Papali'i go in for surgery, he woke up with breast implants.

Trust this time around was a little different for the Canberra Raiders prop who has gone under the knife with a season-ending biceps injury.

If you don't know what we're talking about, let us bring you up to speed with the United Legal spruik which brought two Canberra Raiders greats together earlier this year.

Papali'i, rugby league's fearsome front-rower, lays on a bed with breast implants and tells the doctor he'd only come in to get a mole removed.

Cut to Laurie Daley being zapped during a shift on the tools before, in the next clip, he's flying a chopper Papali'i is too scared to jump out of.

Papali'i's absence is a huge blow for a Raiders outfit also missing Corey Horsburgh after he was whacked with a four-game ban for a shoulder charge.

The Raiders have gone from the cusp of the top four to being in danger of missing the eight completely in a matter of weeks.

Rugby Australia bosses say they have no plan to move the Brumbies out of Canberra as they pursue a centralised model, but the fear of the unknown has ACT officials on edge about giving up something they can't get back.

Brumbies insiders are open to the centralisation of high performance departments which would see Australian Super Rugby clubs share resources, while Rugby Australia could also take control of contracting of all players and head coaches.

The sticking point remains the ownership of intellectual property and rights to operate the Brumbies business.

The Brumbies are preparing to post a significant financial loss but they have met with key stakeholders as the club continues to pursue private equity.

The club has suffered through the COVID-19 pandemic and a general downturn in fan interest in rugby.

But their status as Australia's premier Super Rugby club - and the only one consistently challenging the competition's top sides - suggests Rugby Australia should try to replicate what the Brumbies are doing across other clubs rather than making the ACT conform to suit the others.

The Brumbies will scour Viking Park this weekend in search of a new wave of talent as the some of the region's best prospects chase grand final glory.

Junior rugby teams will converge on Viking Park this weekend across 26 premiership deciders.

Marist College will head into Sunday's under-18s First XV grand final as favourites, with the Tuggeranong Vikings standing in their way after upsetting Daramalan in last week's semi-final.

The clash serves as the closing act in a double-header with the under-18s girls' division one grand final between the Queanbeyan Whites and Canberra Grammar.

If you've been to a Canberra Cavalry game, chances are you've seen Chynna Marston riding a horse around Narrabundah Ballpark with a bright orange flag.

But now club officials have a call to make on Marston's game day role after she was found guilty of animal neglect by a Racing NSW stewards panel.

The Sky Racing presenter was found guilty of eight charges while her fiance Alex Kean was found guilty of seven.

Among the most shocking was an admission by Kean he had killed a horse by shooting it and disposing of the body by placing it in a bonfire. Vets or Racing NSW were not consulted before he euthanised the retired thoroughbred.

The findings relate to treatment of horses at the pair's Recycled Racehorses charity in Bowning, near Yass.

Stewards have invited the pair to make a submission to the panel before deciding on a punishment, while Marston hit back in a 17-minute video and voiced her desire to take the matter to court.

Still on the horses, retired Canberra thoroughbreds will chase a slice of a $1 million prize in what Racing NSW heavyweights say has the potential to be The Everest of equestrian.

The Canberra Racing Club will on Friday announce three successful applicants for sponsorship for the $1m Equimillion, an equestrian event exclusively for retired thoroughbreds with prize money split across various events.

Applicants must demonstrate a clear association with their retired thoroughbred and Canberra racing to be deemed eligible for sponsorship.

The announcement will come after the Canberra Supporting Equimillion Handicap [1080m] at Thoroughbred Park on Friday.

"The Canberra supports Equimillion Handicap, a Benchmark 45 for four-year-olds and up, provides a competitive opportunity for older horses that have dropped down in rating, to find success again," Canberra Racing Club racing and equine welfare officer Chris Polglase said.

Gungahlin United and Canberra Croatia are closer to learning their fate in the pursuit of places in Football Australia's national second tier competition.

FA is targeting a March kick-off for a competition boasting 10 to 16 teams, with bids now being evaluated by FA with help from an independent third party.

Eight clubs - APIA Leichhardt, Sydney Olympic, Sydney United 58, Avondale FC, Melbourne Knights, Preston Lions, South Melbourne and South Hobart - have confirmed they have submitted bids.

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