The Raiders looked right at home before a big crowd at Allegiant Stadium, the fortress of their namesake NFL team, and picked up from a fast finish to an inconsistent 2024.
But there was nothing inconsistent about Stuart's side on Sunday (AEDT), only days after teammates Hudson Young and Morgan Smithies made headlines for fighting each other in a hotel elevator.
Stuart was proud of his charges for moving on from what could have been a distraction during the NRL's second annual trip to Sin City.
"You could have an unit or a group of players that have got their heads in the bright lights and not prepare well (in Vegas)," Stuart said.
"We handled it extremely well, obviously after one stuff-up, but boys will be boys. I've been involved in that sort of stuff, but you pull yourself together as a group, and we did.
"I couldn't commend the boys well enough in regards to how they handled their preparation."
It was a dire start to the post-Shaun Johnson era for the Warriors, whose new halves combination Luke Metcalf and Chanel Harris-Tavita seemingly had no way to spark the attack.
"I felt like we didn't go forward enough for them," said coach Andrew Webster.
Prized recruit James Fisher-Harris had virtually no impact, coming off when the Warriors were down 6-0 and only returning when the game looked gone at 28-4.
"We got beaten to everything first," Webster said.
"They off-loaded the ball really well. We knew it was coming, they are good at it. We focused too much on the next play."
Raiders captain Joe Tapine went to the sin bin for a shoulder charge on Mitch Barnett, despite the Warriors co-captain not needing to leave the field for head injury assessment.
"I'm not saying it's the wrong call, but it's a massive call," Stuart said.
With an extra man on the field, the Warriors had a late consolation try through Roger Tuivasa-Sheck on the veteran's return to the wing.
But a comeback never appeared on.
"We came here to make a statement," Stuart said.
"Really happy with how they played. It's only round one though.
"We'll have a couple of beers, enjoy each others' company tonight and get on the plane and get home, and see it as a very successful week."
Fresh from proposing in front of the Bellagio, Xavier Savage had two first-half tries down the right wing as the Raiders' outside backs adapted to the thinner NFL field better than the Warriors.
In a summation of their struggles without Johnson, new Warriors halfback Metcalf threw a pass straight to Savage, who ran 90 metres against the run of play to make it 16-0.
Earlier, off-contract Tom Starling staked his claim to remain hooker ahead of highly-rated debutant Owen Pattie by scooting out of dummy half to put Canberra in position for Savage's first try.
Elevator wrestler Young went from the naughty corner to the top of the class with an excellent game.
Just after halftime, Young's enthusiastic kick chase forced Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to spill the ball and Seb Kris cleaned up to hit back following the Warriors' first try.
The Raiders went up 22-4 thanks to Kris, who had earlier scored the first try of the season reaching out onto the chalk.
Canberra's easiest try came through Matt Timoko who ran down an inexplicably open right edge for a long-range try that all but sealed the result at 28-4.
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