Soliola rallies behind Horsburgh after emotion-filled night

Experienced prop Sia Soliola intends to reach out to teammate Corey Horsburgh this week after the Raiders firebrand endured an emotion-filled night at Bankwest Stadium.

Horsburgh was heavily targeted by the pack of Eels forwards in the first half of the side's loss on Saturday night before limping from the field in tears with a foot issue.

His reaction to the three-man tackle that caused the injury suggested illegal play may have been involved, however replays appeared to show Horsburgh's leg being caught under Daniel Alvaro's body accidentally.

Nevertheless, the 22-year-old was heavily involved throughout the opening 30 minutes, including being on the end of a huge shot from Eels bookends Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Marata Niukore.

His departure from the game later in the half was met with several boos from the pro-Eels crowd, in which Horsburgh fired back by sticking middle fingers up with both hands.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart would not comment on the matter post-match but Soliola said the Caboolture junior wore his heart on his sleeve and his inexperience got the best of him.

"A lot of passionate players like that want to deal with things differently at the time," Soliola said.

"You've always got to address [it], that's something that he is working on. It's hard to tell him at the time.

"He plays the game hard, he's a very proud guy and I can't argue with that. He loves the game and plays the game in a certain way.

"That's just one of those things where you've got to find a balance. It's not something that's new, it's something that happens in footy. People tend to do things a little bit differently."

Campbell-Gillard, who ran a season-high 247 metres in the win, said Horsburgh wasn't a deliberate target in the game but let his emotions get the better of him.

"He's a young lad that likes to compete as well and I'm not going to back down from that," Campbell-Gillard said.

"I don't really remember [the tackle]… the emotions and things like that, I'm not too sure what was running through his head there.

"It's probably not a good look for himself and the game but he's made that decision and that choice."

Horsburgh is expected to undergo scans on his leg in the nation's capital ahead of the side's clash with St George Illawarra on Friday.

Raiders teammate Hudson Young encountered a hiccup on the way into the stadium.

After failing his first temperature test under the COVID-19 protocols he drenched himself in cold water to ensure he passed the second time.