Canberra coach Ricky Stuart has spoken of his close relationship with Alan Jones and how the former Wallabies coach turned broadcaster ended up sitting in the Raiders coaches box on Friday night.
Stuart brought Jones into Canberra’s inner sanctum for the win that opened Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium at the request of his old coach, with the 82-year-old picked up by broadcast cameras in the sheds and sitting with Stuart in the box during the 34-30 victory over the Bulldogs.
“Alan texted me yesterday and said he was doing a lunch up here [in Brisbane],” Stuart said.
“He said I’d love to come along and support you. I rang him up and said ‘that will be great, I’ll get you some corporate tickets if you want to come along’. He said ’no, shit no, I’m with you blokes. He said: ‘I don’t want to be in corporate, I’d rather sit on my lounge chair at home’.”
Stuart’s relationship with Jones goes back 38 years, when Stuart attended an under 21s rugby union camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra following his stint with the Australian Schoolboys team.
Through Stuart’s former agent, the late John Fordham, Jones kept an eye on the development of the young playmaker.
“He began to take a special interest in me in terms of mentoring me with my rugby,” Stuart told this masthead.
“Then in 1987 he picked me in the Wallabies team when Nick Farr-Jones hurt his knee. I went over as a late call-up a week into the tour. Ever since then he’s been a guy I can rely upon and trust as a mentor, but more importantly as a mate.
“He just played such a special part in my life. He’s always been there for any type of advice and support and friendship. In life I’ve had a number of people who have been that type of support for me. Alan, along with John Fordham, were the backbone for me.”
Stuart says he owes his life to Jones. In 1998 Stuart had collapsed on three occasions, including once at training. The doctors didn’t think it was serious.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart.Credit: Getty
Then Stuart’s friend Don Furner, who is now Raiders chief executive, visited Stuart and called Fordham for help. His next phone call was to Jones.
“Turns out I had encephalitis, which is swelling of the brain,” Stuart said.
“If it wasn’t for Alan. Honestly. He organised for Kerry Packer to supply his private jet and get it to Canberra immediately to fly me to St Vincent’s Hospital. I was gone. I was very ill. If I didn’t get to St Vincent’s, I don’t know what the outcome would have been.
“Donny saw the situation and how ill I was. I went to Canberra hospital three times and got sent home three times. My body was failing.”
Josh Papalii, Alan Jones and Jamal Fogarty.
Friday marked the first time Jones had sat alongside Stuart for a game.
“It won’t be the last either,” Stuart said. “He’s the lucky charm. It’s extremely special for me, and more so that he wanted to be there. ”
