For a moment it looked like Jordan Rapana's career could be over. There was talk of a dislocated kneecap as he limped off in the sixth minute.
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But like Lazarus he rose from the dead to return to the field.
His absence left a first-half void that was perfectly filled by the Canberra Raiders' young guns.
Xavier Savage, Ethan Strange, Matt Timoko, James Schiller, Ata Mariota and Pasami Saulo all stepped up as the Green Machine ended its two-game losing streak to beat Parramatta 41-8 at Canberra Stadium on Sunday night.
But the win could come at a cost, with Corey Horsburgh picking up a groin strain.
There was also Rapana's knee injury, Mariota needed his knee strapped and Simi Sasagi copped an accidental knee to his ribs.
Those three were able to continue, although Rapana's knee was swollen like a balloon.
It's an existing meniscus problem, where it gets out of place.
He looked to be in trouble again when he landed on it at the start of the second half, but was able to play on.
It will depend on how he pulls up tomorrow as to whether he'll play Gold Coast at home next Sunday.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart was full of praise for Savage's performance.
Savage was back to his blistering best - splitting Parramatta's line to run 70 metres to score.
He produced a lovely grubber for Danny Levi to score a second-half try after another of his line breaks.
"I'll single out one bloke. I said it half-time and I said it again with all the boys just there a moment ago," Stuart said.
"I visualised Xavier Savage for two-and-a-half to three years do what he did tonight.
"That's why I've been patient and I've cuddled him and tried to get him to his potential, but it's only one game.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. But I know the footballer Xavier Savage is.
"And you look at those outside backs - I put a lot of pressure on our outside backs and they all aimed up."
Somehow ex-Raider Bailey Simonsson not only escaped being put on a report for a hip drop that led to Mariota's knee injury, he wasn't even penalised.
Both the referee and the bunker gave it the all-clear, despite appearing to be a clear case of a dangerous tackle.
Maybe the match review committee will spot it? Holding your breath is not advised.
Eels prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard was put on report twice for high shots on Sasagi and Savage.
Strange is quickly finding his feet in the Raiders five-eighth shoes Jack Wighton vacated.
His running game is getting more and more dangerous as the season goes on.
He split the Eels line to set-up a brilliant team try with a Simi Sasagi flick pass finished off by Sebastian Kris.
Strange isn't the only Raiders half evolving in front of our eyes, with Jamal Fogarty seemingly adding a new string to his bow every week as well.
He produced a chip and chase that eventually led to a goal-line dropout.
Rapana returned for the second half after a Fogarty field goal just before half-time made it 13-0 at the break.
Schiller sent a statement that he's far too good a winger for NSW Cup - one of his breaks led to a freakish Timoko try.
The Raiders centre used hapless Eels halfback Dylan Brown as a post to spin around to score an acrobatic try in the corner.
Schiller scored a try of his own and then Hudson Young got in on the act to finish off a Timoko break, before Timoko got his second in the dying minutes.
Parramatta winger Maika Sivo scored a consolation, second-half double in an Eels side that looked rudderless without halfback Mitchell Moses (foot).
AT A GLANCE
CANBERRA RAIDERS 41 (Matt Timoko 2, Sebastian Kris, Xavier Savage, Danny Levi, James Schiller, Hudson Young tries; Jamal Fogarty 6 goals; Fogarty field goal) bt PARRAMATTA EELS 8 (Maika Sivo 2 tries) at Canberra Stadium on Sunday night. Referee: Adam Gee. Crowd: 13,907.