<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>339749</docID> <postdate>2025-03-06 14:21:35</postdate> <headline>Tapine, Savage suspended after Raiders’ big Vegas win</headline> <body><p><img class=" wp-image-339750" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20240407001928586959-original-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="1085" height="723" /></p> <caption>Canberra will be without skipper Joe Tapine for their matches against Brisbane and Manly. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p class="wire-column__preview__author"><span class="kicker-line">By <b>Melissa Woods</b></span></p> <p><strong>Canberra captain Joe Tapine has accepted a two-game ban while star winger Xavier Savage will miss one match after pleading guilty to charges from their win over the Warriors in Las Vegas.</strong></p> <p>Tapine went to the sin bin for shoulder-charging Warriors co-captain Mitch Barnett in the second half of the 30-8 victory that opened the NRL season on Sunday (AEDT).</p> <p>He will miss Canberra's next two games against Brisbane and Manly, avoiding the risk of a third match with an early guilty plea for his grade-two charge.</p> <p>Savage will miss the Broncos clash for attacking Chanel Harris-Tavita's legs as he kicked in the first half, also pleading guilty early rather than challenging the grade-two dangerous contact charge.</p> <p>It's a huge blow for a Canberra side who missed finals last year but started the season with a bang with an impressive showing against the highly rated Warriors.</p> <p>Albert Hopoate appears the frontrunner to come into the backline for the Raiders after he missed the trip to Vegas to attend the birth of his child.</p> <p>Trey Mooney, Myles Martin and Pasami Saulo are among middle-forward options that could replace Tapine in the 17.</p> </body>