Ricky Stuart labelled Sunday's narrow win over the Newcastle Knights an "ugly game" during his post-match press conference after his team escaped from another second half fadeout.
The Raiders have faded out of games time and time again over the last 24 months.
It's a trend they have managed to buck in recent times however, winning four of their last six before the Newcastle clash to climb back to within touching distance of the top eight.
The green machine led Sunday's home clash against the struggling Knights 14 points to 6 at halftime, only to fall behind 18 points to 6, before a late try to Hudson Young got them back in front and the vital two competition points.
It wasn't the second half fadeout Stuart was angry at post-game though, claiming that the game was "ugly" on the back of an 8-4 penalty count that his side won.
โIt was an ugly game,โ Stuart said.
โIt was so slow and ugly on the ground.
โIf those interpretations are the way we are going it is not going to be attractive if thatโs the standard we are going to be setting from an interpretation point of view with the tackled player on the ground.
โIt was hard to attack off, but thatโs the reason teams do it.โ
Stuart failed to point out the ludicrous error count in his comments though, which saw the Raiders make 14 and the Knights 12.
The coach also criticised the decision to sin bin club captain Elliott Whitehead during the game.
โI donโt believe it was a sin bin,โ Stuart said.
โIt could have cost us.
โThe answer to that from an emotional point of view in regards to that decision, I believe that Ashley got it right.
โBut then he has got someone in his ear telling him he has got to be sin-binned.
โSo whoever the bloke in his ear is that is telling him he has to be sin-binned is wrong.
โThatโs why I have to talk to you about the interpretation on the ground.
โI think its messy and it is going backwards in terms of setting a standard for the game from an attacking point of view."
The Raiders face the Melbourne St George Illawarra Dragons after the representative round, then have a bye before travelling to Melbourne after Origin 3.
