The Raiders are breathing a huge sigh of relief with Jordan Rapana free to play in Round 1 after the veteran avoided a ban for his high shot on Adam Doueihi.
Rapana was sent to the sin bin late in the first half when he collected the Wests Tigers five-eighth high as he tried to block a pass to the outside.
The winger was hit with a grade one careless high tackle charge which will see him cop a $3000 fine with an early guilty plea.
The Raiders can challenge it but Rapana would be suspended for two matches if found guilty at the judiciary.
It’s a risk they can’t afford with regular fullback Xavier Savage set to miss the opening six rounds of the season with a fractured jaw he suffered in Canberra’s first trial.
Rapana is the logical option at the back with the Green Machine also able to call on Harley Smith-Shields, while Seb Kris filled in while Rapana was in the sin bin.
Bulldogs pair Max King and Ryan Sutton were also charged for incidents out of Sunday’s double-header in Belmore, but both can escape with $1000 fines if they take the early guilty plea for their respective grade one dangerous contact charges.
