Joe Tapine has made it clear that his future lies with the Canberra Raiders, and he is determined to conclude his career in the capital city. The team’s captain recently put an end to rumors about his potential move by signing a new contract that will keep him with the club until the end of 2028. During a press conference on Friday, Tapine also mentioned that he could have the option to remain with the Green Machine in 2029. However, by then he will be 35 years old, which likely means this deal will be his final one.
“You’re not going to be in the game forever, and it’s the club I care about. You’ve got to leave it in a good spot,” Tapine said. “I have two beautiful kids, and my wife and I want to raise our kids here. So that’s a huge part of why I signed.”
Tapine reflected on how far he has come since first joining Canberra. “When I first signed with Canberra, I was probably at the stage of my career where I didn’t know if I would be a long-term player or even play much. But to be where I am now, I’m pretty proud of myself.”
Now, the focus for Tapine and the Raiders is on turning around their performance after last season’s minor premiership. This year, the team has struggled, sitting 15th on the ladder with only one win in their first four games. Following a 34-22 loss to Cronulla last Sunday, coach Ricky Stuart criticized the side as “self-destructive” due to a series of penalties and errors. Tapine acknowledged the challenges but emphasized the need to improve.
“When you’re at this level, I want to say (the ladder position) doesn’t get me nervous. It makes you play a bit harder,” Tapine said. “I feel that if I’m the guy giving away a lot of penalties, I’ve got to work on that individually.”
Meanwhile, centre Simi Sasagi believes the team’s current standing does not reflect the effort they are putting in. He is confident that addressing errors and penalties is something the Raiders can fix.
“It’s (discipline) really exciting because it’s something that we can control,” Sasagi said. “It’s still early. It’s round five. We still want to build on the style of footy we want to play.”
The Raiders will face a tough challenge this weekend when they take on Newcastle, who are coming off a 24-16 victory over Canterbury. For Canberra, this match represents an opportunity to regain momentum and prove that they can bounce back from their early-season struggles. With Tapine leading the way, the team is looking to show that their commitment to the club and to improving their performance is stronger than ever.
