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Canberra Raiders youngster Xavier Savage has been put under scrutiny for a crucial blunder in his side’s loss to the Sharks.
Savage started the match on fire when he scored the Raiders second try to put them up 12-0 in the 17th minute.
However, the Sharks fought back in the second half and scored right on the break after a misjudgment at the back.
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Hooker Blayke Brailey kicked early in the tackle count near halfway with the ball bouncing back towards play after almost going out on the full.
Savage, who was in the line, then jogged back to the ball and paid the price with Sharks winger Sione Katoa getting to the ball first.
Katoa threw a wayward pass inside with Brailey scoring to make it 18-18 at half-time.
“That’s unacceptable from Savage, just allowing the ball to bounce,” NRL great Corey Parker said on Fox League.
“… When you’ve got such a young player that provides so much skill you’ve got to take the good with the bad, he’s still trying to learn his craft.
“I thought he started the game very well, scored that individual solo try … then on the back of it you’ve got to stay in the game, you’ve got to keep your head in the game on those little effort errors.
“He jammed in on defence there at one point then off the kick right on the stroke of half-time just not enough urgency to try and get the ball and as it turned out they make you pay in the NRL.”
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Fellow great Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach also described Savage’s approach as “casual”.
The Raiders started on fire when James Schiller and Savage scored before Danny Levi made it 18-0 in 23 minutes.
Cronulla then came back strongly with tries to Braydon Trindall, Ronaldo Mulitalo and Brailey.
The second half wasn’t off to a good start for Canberra when Zac Hosking was ruled out with a heavy concussion.
Cronulla then continued their dominance as Kayal Iro and Mulitalo both scored to make it 30-18 after 63 minutes.
Schiller’s double in the dying stages gave the Raiders a sniff but Katoa’s try right on full-time put the nail in the coffin for Canberra as Cronulla won 36-22.
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