Canberra have suffered a monumental injury blow with fullback Xavier Savage to miss the first six rounds of the NRL season with a fractured jaw.
Savage was one of two frontline players to suffer injuries in the weekend’s trial matches, with Melbourne centre Justin Olam also requiring surgery on a fractured forearm.
Most other clubs got through the first round of pre-season games unscathed, with more big-name players set to return this week.
The Raiders, however, have been left to feel the pain of Savage’s injury in Sunday’s 34-18 loss to Canterbury.