BY DAN

Xavier Savage was once the prince who was promised. A boy with the hopes and expectations of a saviour thrust upon him. His rise to first grade revealed a player still finding who he was and how he fit into rugby league. After a year of turmoil, what we’ve seen so far suggests Xavier might have found a home.

In two trials and a proper game Xavier Savage has finally looked comfortable in the top line, on the wing. It’s a ‘coming hone’ moment for Javier, returning to the place his first grade career officially started (him defending at centre when Stick didn’t understand the concussion rules is very funny in hindsight, for multiple reasons). It’s a more humble abode than when he took over from Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad as the Raiders presumptive custodian. Then the conversation was more about the endless potential, and one that perhaps laid expectations beyond what he was capable of returning.

The result was imperfect, as it is with most emerging talents. The output never matched what was needed, either in meeting the hopes of thousands, his teammates and even his coach. We all saw the pace, the dynamic way he saw the game, unencumbered by the rigors and discipline of junior footy. He had big shoes to fill, and to an extent it feels like he was never really trusted to fill them. He was given 2022 in the most part, and seemed to be primed for more in the next season. But after injury before the 2023 season he never really went back.

He returned in NSW Cup and played wing when Chevy Stewart emerged. There it looked like he finally found a home. He and Stewart formed a strong partnership, connecting on the edges and unleashing the best of both of them. The symbiosis suggested a collaboration that could continue as both spent more time in higher grades. His numbers were down in total on 2022 but once kick returns were removed (you know, cos he wasn’t returning as many on the wing) he actually had increased his average metres per game from 97 to 106 (in Cup). He also picked up his first three try assists and scored nearly a try a game (12 out of 13 games).

Of course being good at something in lower grades doesn’t mean it’s a perfect transition. Similarly he’s hardly the first player who’s name has risen higher and faster than Icarus, only to re-emerge as something less flashy but more honest and consistent in it’s effectiveness. So when he turned up to the new season visibly bulkier before this season we were curious as to what it would mean. In the trial games he looked powerful, and while he was run down by Sean Russell, it didn’t seem like he’d sacrificed his elite skills to become another yardage automaton (Oh hi ‘Bert!).

And then in Thursday’s outing against the Knights he looked powerful. 13 carries for 130 odd metres is more *fine* than good. But it’s not so much the metres but how he went about them (thanks Darryl). He was consistently doing so in difficult situations (as his 59 post contact metres – the most in the side outside Matt Timoko – showed). It didn’t always work out. Early on he was monstered by big forwards a few times, and he did well to hold on to the ball he juggled when Jacob Saifiti got so far up in his guts it seemed like he was trying to conceive. But more often he ploughed through, and crucially, between contact to find his belly, a quick ruck, or extra metres. You saw the try; X had the pace to get to the point and the power to hold out a second rower and a fullback flying across to run him out of the field. He got to the outside, took the contact and scored. Perfect.

As impressive was that he looked strong in so many other parts of the game that had previously been challenges. He made several good outside-in reads in defence, and held fast at other moments. He tied in with Albert Hopoate consistently, showing a maturity in both his decision-making and execution of defensive assignments. He even looked comfortable handling kicks, something that hasn’t always been the case.

Even more intriguing was that he spent the last twenty minutes filling it at fullback for a cramping Jordan Rapana. He did fine there, though it’s worth noting that the Knights were so discombobulated by this point it seemed they didn’t notice he was back there and test him out. I don’t think that means he’s about to re-complicate matters by shifting to-and-from fullback but it’s pleasing there’s an easy solution for both the possibility that the rugby league Murtaugh is too old for this shit and potential support for Chevy when he starts to dip his toe in the top line.

Of course it’s one game (and a couple of trials) so there’s no benefit to getting too carried away (it is, however, fun). But the possibility that X is not so much taking a leap but proving his promise is, if successful, a win for him, the club’s needs as well as continued testament to their ability to turn talent into first grade production. After being up, down and back again it seems X might have finally found a place to call his own.

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