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Stuart unloads on NRL in massive blow-up

Ricky Stuart may have just earned himself another fine from the NRL after an epic blow-up aimed at the governing body and the referees following Canberra's loss to Melbourne on Saturday night.

The Storm picked up a 20-14 win despite losing Cameron Smith (strained pec) and Billy Slater (concussion) to injury.

While the Raiders may have been lucky after Sia Soliola was not sent off for his hit on Slater, Stuart was fuming in his post-match press conference.

"Under the circumstances tonight, we were the best team on the field,” said the coach for his first comments.

Stuart went on to criticise referees Matt Cecchin and Chris Butler for a controversial Bunker referral after calling play-on.

Wary of being one-eyed, Stuart revealed he consulted his phone after the game.

“I walk into the changeroom, I’ve got 47 texts," he said.

"I never turn my phone on after a game but I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t wrong in what I was thinking tonight.

“Every one of those texts agreed with every fan out there and everything I believe in what I see in that game tonight."

He then made the NRL his target, accusing the league of not making referees accountable for their actions.

“Coaches have to come in here and own up to every question you blokes want to throw at us, and we do it week in and week out," he said.

“We keep on aiming up, coming in here, having to answer your questions after our week, season of hard work.

"Why don’t the NRL get the referees to come in and answer some of these questions too? When do they ever have to face any accountability?

“The best thing the NRL has done is just keep fining me and fining me and whacking the hell out of me so I don’t say anything."

Stuart said he would not contact referees boss Tony Archer this week because it would be a "waste of time".