![Raiders fullback Xavier Savage is "on the mend" after jaw surgery. Raiders fullback Xavier Savage is "on the mend" after jaw surgery.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/reqbnGrLXyZFax2TwSi3Na/13d8f856-b826-4cfa-976b-b94ed9fd0a5e.jpg/r0_0_2571_1272_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Jordan Rapana will get first crack at locking down the Canberra Raiders No.1 jersey in Xavier Savage's absence.
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The news comes with Savage emerging groggy but well from surgery on his broken jaw that's set to keep him out for up to eight weeks.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart named Rapana as his replacement at fullback for their trial against the Wests Tigers at Belmore on Sunday.
Rapana's previously played at fullback for the Green Machine, with Stuart turning to him to fill the custodian role a couple of times last year.
Stuart's also launched Danny Levi to favouritism to wear the No.9 jersey come round one, picking him to start at hooker ahead of Tom Starling and Zac Woolford.
Starling's on an extended bench, while Woolford missed out on the squad of 26 altogether.
![Jordan Rapana will get first shot at the Raiders No.1 jersey. Picture by Keegan Carroll Jordan Rapana will get first shot at the Raiders No.1 jersey. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/reqbnGrLXyZFax2TwSi3Na/7283520d-fdef-493f-be8e-2c77c6c862ed.jpg/r0_411_5000_3233_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Raiders co-captain Jarrod Croker was another notable omission from the squad as he continued his comeback from a shoulder reconstruction.
Levi arrived in Canberra during the pre-season after returning to Australia from England's Super League for family reasons.
Savage had surgery on his fractured jaw on Tuesday and took to social media to let Raiders fans know it went well.
"After a four-and-a-half hour wait we're all done baby. It went smoothly, feeling all good and I'm on the mend," he said on Instagram.
While Savage's loss - potentially until round seven against St George Illawarra - was a massive blow, the Raiders do have some good injury news with Harley Smith-Shields (foot) named on the wing in Rapana's place.
![Danny Levi will start at hooker against Wests. Picture: James Croucher Danny Levi will start at hooker against Wests. Picture: James Croucher](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/reqbnGrLXyZFax2TwSi3Na/92c08743-71fa-452f-b640-b9c58aa7820e.jpg/r0_105_6720_3898_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Smith-Shields was also an option to help cover Savage's loss at fullback in the coming weeks.
He's been struggling with a plantar fascia issue as he continued his comeback from a knee reconstruction.
Emre Guler's been named in the front row alongside Josh Papali'i, with Joe Tapine set to play lock, highlighting the big pre-season he's had.
There's still middles spots on the bench up for grabs with the likes Corey Harawira-Naera, Corey Horsburgh, Pasami Saulo and Trey Mooney in the mix.
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Mooney's on the extended bench, but he wasn't overly happy with how he played against Canterbury last weekend.
Stuart will give his main 17-20 players about 40-60 minutes in Sunday's trial against the Tigers - the Raiders' final hit out before they open their season against the North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville on March 4.
"Personally I didn't think my performance was up to scratch, but there's still some things to work on," Mooney said.
"It's early days and hopefully I made some sort of impression.
"You hope to be playing every game of footy you can so hopefully I can find some minutes this weekend with all the boys coming back."
NRL PRE-SEASON TRIAL
Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Wests Tigers at Belmore, 2.55pm.
Raiders squad: 1. Jordan Rapana, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Matt Timoko, 4. Sebastian Kris, 5. Harley Smith-Shields, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. Jamal Fogarty, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Danny Levi, 10. Emre Guler, 11. Hudson Young, 12. Elliott Whitehead (c), 13. Joe Tapine. Interchange: 14. Brad Schneider, 15. Matt Frawley, 16. Corey Harawira-Naera, 17. Corey Horsburgh, 18. Tom Starling, 19. James Schiller, 20. Pasami Saulo, 21. Albert Hopoate, 22. Ata Mariota, 23. Trey Mooney, 24. Michael Asomua, 25. Brad Morkos, 26. Elijah Anderson.
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