Boost for Raiders as skipper Tapine inks new deal
Sebastian Tan |
Joe Tapine is staying with Canberra and hopes to finish his career in the capital city.
The Raiders captain ended speculation about his future by confirming a new deal that will see him through to the end of 2028.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Tapine said he also had the option to remain with the Green Machine in 2029.
But by then he will be 35, probably making this contract his last.
“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,” he said.
“I have two beautiful kids and we (wife) want to raise our kids here. So that’s a huge part of why I signed.
“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, I’m pretty proud of myself.”
Tapine is now firmly focused on rescuing last year’s minor premiers’ fall from grace as they sit 15th on the ladder, having won just once in their opening four games of the season.
After losing 34-22 to Cronulla last Sunday, where coach Ricky Stuart called his side “self-destructive” after coughing up a sea of penalties and errors, Tapine said that had been the focus for Canberra this week.
“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.”
Centre Simi Sasagi believes their lowly position doesn’t represent the squad’s effort, and fixing errors and penalties is something doable for the Raiders.
“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.”
They will face a tough task on Sunday when they play Newcastle, who come into the encounter fresh off a 24-16 victory over Canterbury.
AAP