Teenager Xavier Savage has staked an impressive claim to start the NRL season at fullback as the Canberra Raiders blew away the understrength Sydney Roosters 32-18 in Friday night’s trial match at Leichhardt Oval.
Raiders co-captain Jarrod Croker played more than half the match in his return from stem-cell knee surgery, bagging the last try and booting four goals, but forward Peter Hola suffered a possible MCL injury.
Former Canterbury back-rower Adam Elliott was solid in his first outing for Canberra, having a stint at dummy-half after Adrian Trevilyan copped a head knock.
There was drama prior to kick-off with Raiders playmaker Sam Williams becoming the first player to miss a match this year through COVID-19, ruled out after a positive rapid antigen test.
Matt Frawley, Williams’ roommate on the Sydney trip, was deemed a close contact and also scratched.
Savage, who made three first-grade appearances in 2021, scored the opening try after pouncing on a deflection from his grubber and produced a brilliant second-half line-break as well as a few errors.
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart indicated earlier in the pre-season that Savage was jostling with the incumbent Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to wear the No.1 jersey for the round-one clash against Cronulla.
The smooth-moving 19-year-old was a constant danger while Nicoll-Klokstad, named on the bench but starting at halfback in place of Williams, broke clear to set up a first-half try for Corey Harawira-Naera.
Also capable of playing in the centres, a role he’s filled at Test level for New Zealand, Nicoll-Klokstad dropped the ball twice including a knock-on from a restart.
There is set to be room for both in Stuart’s backline with Harley Smith-Shields (ACL injury) out for the season and Jordan Rapana suspended for the opening two rounds.
The biggest name on the field for the Tricolours was recently retired winger Brett Morris, running out messages and water as blue-shirt trainer.
Adam Keighran, Drew Hutchison, wing recruit Kevin Naiqama, David Suluka-Fifita and Lachlan Lam, who began at fullback, blew out the cobwebs for Trent Robinson’s team.
The Raiders led 24-6 at the main break with Trevilyan, five-eighth Brad Schneider and Hawira-Naera following Savage across the stripe before Hola crossed in the 44th minute.
Naufahu Whyte, Eli Roberts and Joshua Wong scored for the Roosters.
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