The welcome return of star players Nick Cotric, Joe Tapine and Jack Wighton slightly overshadowed the comeback of another Canberra Raiders gun this week.
Xavier Savage will play on the wing in the NSW Cup curtain-raiser against the Dragons on Sunday, two months after breaking his jaw in a trial, in what was a massive blow for the Raiders before their NRL season had even begun.
Sidelined for the first six rounds the fullback is finally healthy again, but Savage is being eased back into the fold rather than thrust straight into first-grade where Sebastian Kris has been filling in.