Canberra Raiders fullback Xavier Savage still learning the game: Ricky Stuart

It's why Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has been calling for patience with his young fullback and didn't bring him straight into the side at the start of the season when many were calling for his inclusion.

Savage came on for the final 14 minutes when Canberra's starting custodian Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad started to cramp.

Scores were level after the North Queensland Cowboys had scored two unanswered tries in the second half to make it 12-all at Canberra Stadium on Thursday night.

The turnover led to the Cowboys taking the lead, with second-rower Jeremiah Nanai scoring the winning try.

The first play Savage was involved in was a kick return initially fielded by Raiders winger Jordan Rapana, who then called on Savage to take the hit up.

He headed to the outside of Rapana and was bundled into touch by the Cowboys defence.

It left the 19-year-old clutching his left shoulder, but he was able to complete the game with word out of the Raiders camp his shoulder was fine.

Nicoll-Klokstad was also cleared of anything more than cramp.

Stuart has consistently said all season that Savage was an undoubted talent, but was still learning his craft as a No.1 - one of the toughest positions on the field.

When asked whether Rapana should have taken the hit-up himself, Stuart was adamant.

"Xavier Savage should've stepped inside. That's why Xavier Savage hasn't been playing first grade because he's still learning the game," he said.

"So many of you people want X-factor, so many people want Xavier out there. That's why Xavier hasn't been playing because he's still learning the game.

"But I'm only a dumb coach. Everyone else wants X-factor. We haven't got X-factor at the moment - we're still teaching young people how to play football at an NRL standard.

"If you're an experienced player you take the inside there - that's got nothing to do with Jordan Rapana."

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Stuart has put the underperforming Green Machine on notice after a lacklustre second half allowed the Cowboys to run over the top of them.

Making it all the more frustrating for Stuart was he felt several of his big names were in career-best form.

He pointed to both Jack Wighton and Joe Tapine as two beacons in a season that has seen them drop near the bottom of the NRL ladder off the back of three consecutive losses.

Wighton's short kicking game caught the eye of NRL Immortal Andrew Johns.

"His short kicking game's been really good ... his touch on the ball," Johns said during the Channel Nine commentary.

With doubt surrounding Latrell Mitchell's fitness for the State of Origin opener, Stuart said Wighton was at the top of his game.

Wighton' clearly an option for NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler at left centre.

"There's four or five blokes playing really good football," Stuart said.

"Jack's probably in the best form of his career. Joe Tapine's in the best form of his career.

"I thought Josh Papalii played one of his better games in the first 40 minutes, he really took the lead.

"Those boys need support. Certain blokes aren't contributing to the standard they need to contribute. Simple as that.

"If I keep sitting here defending them it's not going to solve anything."

NRL ROUND SEVEN

April 24: Canberra Raiders v Penrith Panthers at Penrith, 4.05pm.

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