Canberra Raiders 18th man breach: Xavier Savage reveals panic at being replaced after 12 minutes

The man at the centre of the Raiders’ 18th man breach kept apologising as he was pulled from the field, fearing he had done something wrong in his 12-minute NRL debut.

Raiders winger Xavier Savage during his NRL debut. Picture: NRL Photos

Canberra Raiders rookie Xavier Savage kept apologising, fearing he had done something wrong as his NRL debut was cut short after just 12 minutes.

The 19-year-old had no idea he should never have been out on the field after the Raiders breached the 18th-man guidelines, for which the club faces a nervous wait to discover their fate.

The Raiders face a sanction after Savage played 12 minutes of the Raiders’ 22-20 loss to St George Illawarra on Saturday night. That is likely to come in the form of a fine and not a competition points deduction, helped by the fact they lost to the Dragons.

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Replacement winger Xavier Savage takes a run during his shortened NRL debut. Picture: NRL Photos

The confusion came when centre Sebastian Kris was ruled out during the halftime break after a hit from Jack Bird minutes before the break, that resulted in the Dragons second-rower being put on report.

However, the Raiders mistakenly believed that activated the 18th-man rule, but that can only be used should three players fail a head injury assessment or if a player suffers a match-ending injury caused by foul play, in which the opposing player was either sin-binned or sent off. Bird was subjected to neither.

Despite the circumstances, Savage was just happy to get on the field, albeit briefly.

“It was a bit unusual, Savage said.

“The chance I did get to play, I was excited. I thought I was in primary school again. You’re nervous but you’re excited.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart took responsibility for the 18th-man stuff-up during Canberra’s loss to St George Illawarra. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

I’m very grateful for Ricky for giving me an opportunity – many more games to come hopefully.

“Even to be 18th man I was over the moon. The love I got from the boys in that moment made me feel even better too. Shows how much they respect me.”

Savage, 19, gave an insight into the confusion that led to his debut.

“It was halftime and Seb Kris passed his HIA,” the winger said.

“I was preparing before he passed. Then I got told he passed so my mind automatically told myself ‘I’m not going on’.

“Then Ricky comes running down and I’m sitting (on the bench) and he tells me I’m going on. I was in shock. I was shaking and he asked if I was OK. I stuttered. I was speechless. I couldn’t get the words out.

He said ‘I wouldn’t put you on if I didn’t think you were ready’. I felt like I was high of sugar.

“It was a good experience.”

Xavier Savage relished his debut. Picture: NRL Photos

But the experience quickly soured as the Raiders realised their error, and Savage was hooked.

“I thought I made a mistake,” Savage said.

“I was like apologising and saying ‘what did I do’. They said there was a mix-up. It was a surreal moment.”

It’s not the first, or even the biggest, adversary Savage has overcome in his sporting career. A cruel injury blow robbed him of competing in the Commonwealth Games track and field

“I’ve been through a lot growing up. It felt like a long journey but it came so quickly. I’m still speechless. I can’t believe I got out there and fulfilled my childhood dream,” he said.

“I got my mum and sister to fly down (from Cairns) just in case. I ran straight to her when I got called off the field, she was like ‘why are you coming off’. I was like ‘ I don’t know’.”