In a moment of NRL history and personal triumph, Jed Stuart, son of Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart, scored a try on his debut as the Raiders secured a hard-fought 16-12 victory over the Wests Tigers in Friday night’s game. The emotional win capped a significant week for the Stuart family, adding their names to an exclusive list of father-son duos to feature on the same team. The Raiders burst out of the gates, establishing a commanding 16-0 lead by halftime. However, they faced a stern challenge in the second half as the Tigers launched a spirited comeback, forcing Canberra to defend valiantly in the dying stages of the match. Jed Stuart, playing on the wing, crossed for the Raiders' second try of the game, showcasing an impressive assist from center Sebastian Kris, who delivered a magnificent offload while falling. The debut and subsequent win were the culmination of an emotionally charged week for the Stuart family. Jed shared a poignant moment with his mother before the game. “Before I left to come to Sydney, mum gave me a cuddle and said, ‘You’ve wanted to play NRL since you were three, and now you’re finally doing it.’ That made me cry a fair bit,” he revealed. For Coach Ricky Stuart, it was "the hardest week I've had" as a coach. He admitted to significant pre-game anxiety. “From a father's point of view, I don't want him to come out and be man of the match, I just want him to hold his own." "That's all I wanted, and he did that.” “The number of times I’ve been waking up at 3 am with some real bad thoughts, but didn’t get any of those so it was good.” Interestingly, the decision to bring Jed into the squad was not solely Ricky Stuart's. The coach disclosed that captain Joe Tapine and the Raiders' leadership group recommended Jed replace the injured Savelio Tamale. Tapine even made the significant phone call to inform Jed of his impending debut. “I sat in the car for about ten minutes before trying to figure out what I’m going to say to him,” Tapine recounted. Meanwhile, the Wests Tigers extended their losing streak to five matches with the defeat. This loss marks their third consecutive game with a narrow four-point margin, adding to the growing frustration within the team. West Tigers captain Api Koroisau expressed that it was a bit frustrating in how the match turned out. “There’s only so many times you can be so close and be happy with it.” Furthermore, the Tigers will be looking to break their unfortunate streak in their next outing, while the Raiders will be buoyed by a significant win and a memorable family milestone.