Canberra is working to ban Josh Papalii – one of the cheapest big men in the game – for life as 20-year-old Matt Mattoko starts his own NRL career off the bench against Canterbury.
Papalii is already under contract through the end of 2022 but has held talks about a two-year extension that is said to be worth more than $ 700,000 per season.
The bond of the Queensland Origin and the Kangaroos Prop until 2024 would keep Papalii lime green until after his 32nd birthday.
Given his peer-voted status as one of the game’s top front runners, which is only behind Manly’s addin Fonua-Blake in the NRL.com 2020 Player Survey, Papalii is some serious value for Stuart.
Contemporaries like Andrew Fifita, David Klemmer, Jordan McLean and Reagan Campbell-Gillard earn more than Papalii.
On the basis of value for money, only Fonua-Blake, Rooster Siosiua Taukeiaho, who makes roughly the same $ 700,000 mark as Papalii, and Payne Haas, the Brisbane-based tyro Payne Haas, play with more than three million US dollars in the same league as the Raiders Enforcer.
Ricky wants Papalii to be a raider for life
But Papalii is more than happy to raise his young family in the ACT and to be the bedrock of Canberra’s Premiership Tilt, a scenario the club would like to have set in stone for the rest of its career.
“At the end of his career, we want him to be a one-club player,” said Stuart on Tuesday after referring to him as the Raiders who was in great anticipation after a stunning performance against the Gold Coast.
“I was very happy about him after the game at the weekend and I don’t take it back.
“He’s one of our favorites here and I see him as a big part of our club that has been in the community for a few years and hopefully is in the community and always this raider, this favorite son.
“I am very happy to be able to coach a player like Josh.”
In the meantime, the Raiders will have to forego Corey Harawira-Naera to take on his old Bulldogs team on Sunday and open a seat on Stuart’s bench.
Harawira-Naera’s release from Canterbury last month contained a clause preventing him from playing against her at GIO Stadium.
Full-back Timoko comes as a replacement in 17 and is the fourth Raiders product to hit the market this year after Kai O’Donnell, Semi Valemei and Harley Smith-Shields.
Timoko’s debut was confirmed to the youngster on Tuesday morning by captain Jarrod Croker, which caused the youngster to cry.
The Raiders digital team filmed the moment in Ricky Stuart’s office, even though Timoko took the “covert camera” almost immediately.
Papalii chases Fogarty and saves certain attempts
Timoko scored two tries for Canberra during this year’s NRL Nines after 13 four-pointers at Jersey Flegg last year.
Before Timoko’s debut was publicly confirmed, Stuart paid tribute to Canberra’s fringe first graders and their dedication without getting a chance to play in the Canterbury Cup on a regular basis.
“I have a really good young depth there, some young talent outside and in the middle, and the Vikings – these are the boys on the sidelines – had a tremendous job for us in scrimmaging to maintain the quality of the training and they don’t pay a foot, “said Stuart.
“It’s so hard for them because it’s in our DNA – we only want to play at the weekend – and these poor guys – it’s the same in every club – aren’t allowed to play football.
“But the standard around the training facility, training and preparation was first class.”
