Under pressure Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has never been one to hide his emotions, and while he wouldn't be drawn into debate over the bunker on Saturday following a tight loss to the New Zealand Warriors, he hasn't held back when quizzed by reporters on Thursday.
Speaking after the team's captain's run in the nation's capital before Friday's clash with the Canterbury Bulldogs - a desperate game for both sides as they look to stear clear of the bottom of the table - Stuart told reporters that the bunker is "damaging the game."
"I believe the bunker is damaging our game, I don't believe we do need the bunker because they can't get it right," he said.
"I really believe the bunker is getting it so wrong we need to have the bunker only involved in contentious tries.
"It's just damaging the fabric and the way we want the game to be viewed, it's annoying and it makes it more annoying when you lose games from it."
Stuart's criticism of the bunker comes after Matt Lodge was awarded a penalty in the dying stages of regular time on Saturday, which earnt the Warriors a penalty to tie the game up and force golden point, when Shaun Johnson would ultimately kick a field goal.
Lodge has since reportedly admitted to staying down to receive the penalty, with criticism widely following the incident - and not for the first time this year over consistency from the bunker.
Stuart wouldn't be budged on speaking to the incident during his post match press conference on Saturday, telling reporters at the time that his team should never have been in that position.
It followed another second half fade out for the Raiders in their sixth loss of the year. Analysis shows the Raiders have scored just eight second half points in those six losses, while conceding 94.
Stuart also criticised inconsistency from the bunker's independent doctor, who elected not to make Lodge undergo a head injury assessment.
"(Lodge) has even come out and said that he's faked it ... we all knew he faked it, everyone in the ground knew he faked it," Stuart said.
"I really don't understand how we can penalise Corey Horsburgh on that shot on Lodge ... and yet we have a bunker doctor who wants to keep contributing into a game, he laid on the ground for a number of seconds after a so-called head shot, and the bunker doctor didn't even want to do any HIA protocols."
The Raiders play the Bulldogs on Friday evening in Round 9.
