The wait, and the weight, behind Canberra captain Joseph Tapine's journey to 200 games for the Raiders
When Joseph Tapine arrived at Canberra from Newcastle in 2016 as a tall and skinny second rower with plenty of ability and even more to prove, there were two things he needed to learn to carry.
One was the prodigious expectations that came with his clear physical gifts. The then-21-year-old Kiwi was rangy, skilful and aggressive. He brought some hype with him from the Knights and it can take time to get a saddle on all that talent.
The second is a lot more literal — for much of his first seven seasons in the NRL, the last five of which came with the Raiders, Tapine didn't really lift weights.
Pumping iron is seemingly a prerequisite to perform at any level of rugby league, let alone first grade, but for years Tapine barely touched a dumbbell or a bar if he could help it.
Tapine's talents were obvious from his early career with Newcastle.
(
Getty Images: Matt Blyth
)
"When he first arrived we quickly understood the potential he had. We understood what everyone was talking about, his athleticism, his physicality, that was really impressive," said former teammate Sia Soliola.
"It was a great natural talent, a natural ability to play the game, how easily he was able to do things.
"It wasn't that he didn't train hard, he always trained hard, there were just some elements of his training he wasn't on as much, and we knew once he did he would accelerate really quickly.
"Lifting weights became a big part of that. He was naturally strong, and it's a measure of how good he was that he could still perform.
"But when he put the time into the gym, slowly but surely, we started to see how special he could be."
Throwing tin around, which he started doing in earnest midway through 2020, brought about a change in Tapine, setting him on the path which has led him to playing his 200th game for the Raiders on Sunday against Melbourne.
It was worth the weight and the wait — now there's no load Tapine can't bear, no challenge he won't rise to, and no foe he bows to.
Watch the 30-year-old stride forward, seemingly always keeping his feet as defenders cling on like children clambering over their father's back, watch him use his footwork to skate across defensive lines like a dancer, watch him pull off a piece of inexplicable skill like the wonder try he scored for New Zealand last year against Tonga, and you'll seeing one of the best forwards in all of rugby league.
Loading Twitter content
Tapine is always quick to point to Soliola as a huge influence on his career after the two played together from 2016 to 2021, but Soliola is just as fast to point out the efforts of others in Tapine's rise.
"He'll be the first to tell you about how many positive influences he's had in his life, especially his wife Kirsten," said Soliola.
"She's helped shape the man he is, he pays so much testament to her. When you have someone that supports you like that I guess you're not scared of anything."
But Soliola was up close for Tapine's transformation from a fiery yet inconsistent backrower to an elite prop forward and, eventually, a leader of men with the process culminating after Tapine assumed the Raiders captaincy this year.
"He's so well-rounded, he's the complete player for that position, and as a professional, he sets high standards for players to follow, which shows how far he's come," said Soliola.
"There was a lot of talk about him when he arrived and when you're around the game a long time you see a lot of players come and go who are called 'the next Mal Meninga' or 'the next Sonny Bill Williams', and Taps was put in that category but you never think it'll happen until it takes its course.
"He started to grow as a leader too, very rapidly. His game and his application, his desire to grow more, he came into his own.
"I started to see Taps didn't just want to grow as a player, but as a leader. It gave him a lot of confidence, wanting to do that. The man Taps has become inspires me.
"To see it happen, and happen to someone who really deserves it, it's nothing but love for the dude because of the hard work he's put in on and off the field, when he wins it feels like we who witnessed it are winning as well."
In the years since he put it all together, Tapine has been at the heart of all the best things Canberra has done.
Loading Twitter content
In 2020 it was his incredible solo try that helped spur the team to a semifinal win over the Roosters — as he left some of the best defenders the two-time defending premiers had to offer grasping at shadows on a 20-metre cannonball run to the line.
Two years later, with the Raiders facing the Storm in Melbourne in the first week of the finals, Canberra was holding out for a hero and it had one in Tapine.
He produced the game of his life: running for 200 metres and accruing three line break assists, and a try assist, in one of the great front row performances of the modern era.
Playing the Storm on home soil is usually a death sentence but Tapine turned it into a dream as the Raiders scored a famous upset win.
That year was the first time Tapine claimed Dally M prop of the year honours, which he repeated last season. Individual honours can be rare for the Raiders, who can still be out of sight and out of mind for many, but the football which has become the norm for Tapine cannot be ignored.
Loading YouTube content
This year neither can the rest of his side, which has defied the wooden spoon expectations to sit in the top four with the equal most wins in the league heading into Sunday's showdown with Melbourne.
It has been an impressive start to Tapine's first season as captain, and with attitude reflecting leadership, it's not a surprise to see the young side take on some of his own characteristics — namely, a ruthlessness, a willingness to fight to the very end and not just an ability to do whatever it takes to win, but an eagerness to do so.
The way they play is not perfect and, like Tapine, sometimes Canberra can try to be too mean for their own good. But mostly the side are playing an icy, physical, hard brand of footy, stinging like a howling gale even when the points run hot. They're a reminder that winter is coming and that in some part of Canberra it is always winter.
"What's stood out is how well and how quickly everything's come together. I don't think many people would have had the Raiders in this position," said Soliola.
"Talking to a lot of the guys in the pre-season, they were happy with that — the Raiders aren't given a chance a lot of the time, and that can light a fire in the belly.
"It's exciting to see it come together, especially for a side that's so young."
For all he's done, Tapine still has more he can achieve, as leader and as a player. Soliola is excited about the possibilities he brings to the Pasifika community, who are seeing more and more of their own in leadership roles at various NRL clubs.
"Naturally, and Taps would probably be the same thing, a lot of Pasifika people don't get to step into those leadership and captaincy roles because it's not in our innate nature," said Soliola.
ABC Sport Daily is your daily sports conversation. We dive into the biggest story of the day and get you up to speed with everything else that's making headlines.
"So it's great to see Taps, Junior Paulo and James Fisher-Harris be those captains, it shows how much the Pasifika space has grown in the NRL.
"They're going to bring about a change. A lot of Pasifika kids work well when they see things modelled. They see things done, then they can follow suit."
In terms of pure football, the best days for Tapine's Raiders might be still to come. With six wins and two losses, Canberra are the league's curiosity, but a win against Melbourne on Sunday will earn them attention as a real premiership threat.
The Green Machine don't so much fly under the radar as they live off the grid, but that won't be possible if they come through for the skipper's 200th.
Given Tapine is one of just three players still at the club who appeared in the 2019 grand final, his young charges will look to him when it matters most, just as he looked to Soliola all those years ago.
That's a lot to deal with but it's been a long time since such a weight was heavy for Tapine. Now, he has a whole club on his shoulders and as hard as that can be to carry, it seems to suit him just fine.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Age
3 hours ago
- The Age
The Brumbies could have won the Super Rugby title. A loss in February scuttled it
Every time an Australian team has won a Super Rugby title, they finished minor premiers. And to get enough points to do that, you must start by banking maximum points in home games, and then pick up a handful of wins on the road too, particularly in derbies. The second part is hard, so the first part is non-negotiable. In 2014, NSW won all their home games and in 2011, the Reds only dropped one. Likewise the Brumbies in 2004 and 2001. This year, however, the Brumbies lost three of eight games at home, with a win rate of 62.5 per cent. It was their lowest win rate since 2018 (50 per cent). Along with the Force, they dropped home games to the Canes and the Crusaders. Those losses negated good points earned on the road against the Blues, Reds, Moana and the Drua, and the Brumbies ended up finishing third; two wins behind the Chiefs in first, and five points behind the Crusaders in second. Instead of finishing top two and playing a home semi-final, the Brumbies had to get on a plane (and yes, Super Rugby Pacific's contentious rules had a say in that too). But had they finished second and kept winning, the Brumbies would be this weekend hosting the final instead of the Crusaders, courtesy of the Blues beating the top-seed Chiefs in the qualifying finals. It turned out this could have been the year the Brumbies took the final step. They had the talent. But they were a home win, and change, short on the ladder. Over the years, the seasons of fallen contenders have tended to swing on one or two kick-yourself results. The Brumbies' loss to the Force will go down in that bracket. Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham conceded post-game the Chiefs were the stronger side in Hamilton, and he and his staff will review the semi-final loss to work on weak points, and be better equipped to handle those tough final steps next year. It was the same approach used last summer, and into this season. The question whether the Brumbies can be there again next year is debatable, given they'll be without Noah Lolesio, Len Ikitau, Tom Hooper and possibly Rob Valetini. But presuming the premiership window does stay open, their best – and maybe only – path to success is to flat-out avoid playing in the same game. The Brumbies have lost four straight semi-finals in New Zealand. No Australian side has ever won in 21 play-off games in New Zealand. It's an unusual stat, but it's not as shameful as it sounds. Winning a play-off in New Zealand is bloody hard to do. Five of those play-off losses came in Australia's golden era, when great teams and legendary names couldn't even get it done. No South African side ever won a Super Rugby play-off in New Zealand either, from 15 attempts. Even all-powerhouse Kiwi teams have only won 10 from 32 play-offs offshore. Loading Winning a competition is not figuring out how to defy huge odds and win a semi-final in the wet of Waikato. It's how to play that semi-final in the cold of Canberra, instead. The key to that is to never have an off night at home, or as few as humanly possible. Easier said than done, sure. But no less true. You can't win a competition when fans are still in T-shirts. But as history keeps showing us, you can go a long way to losing one.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
The Brumbies could have won the Super Rugby title. A loss in February scuttled it
Every time an Australian team has won a Super Rugby title, they finished minor premiers. And to get enough points to do that, you must start by banking maximum points in home games, and then pick up a handful of wins on the road too, particularly in derbies. The second part is hard, so the first part is non-negotiable. In 2014, NSW won all their home games and in 2011, the Reds only dropped one. Likewise the Brumbies in 2004 and 2001. This year, however, the Brumbies lost three of eight games at home, with a win rate of 62.5 per cent. It was their lowest win rate since 2018 (50 per cent). Along with the Force, they dropped home games to the Canes and the Crusaders. Those losses negated good points earned on the road against the Blues, Reds, Moana and the Drua, and the Brumbies ended up finishing third; two wins behind the Chiefs in first, and five points behind the Crusaders in second. Instead of finishing top two and playing a home semi-final, the Brumbies had to get on a plane (and yes, Super Rugby Pacific's contentious rules had a say in that too). But had they finished second and kept winning, the Brumbies would be this weekend hosting the final instead of the Crusaders, courtesy of the Blues beating the top-seed Chiefs in the qualifying finals. It turned out this could have been the year the Brumbies took the final step. They had the talent. But they were a home win, and change, short on the ladder. Over the years, the seasons of fallen contenders have tended to swing on one or two kick-yourself results. The Brumbies' loss to the Force will go down in that bracket. Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham conceded post-game the Chiefs were the stronger side in Hamilton, and he and his staff will review the semi-final loss to work on weak points, and be better equipped to handle those tough final steps next year. It was the same approach used last summer, and into this season. The question whether the Brumbies can be there again next year is debatable, given they'll be without Noah Lolesio, Len Ikitau, Tom Hooper and possibly Rob Valetini. But presuming the premiership window does stay open, their best – and maybe only – path to success is to flat-out avoid playing in the same game. The Brumbies have lost four straight semi-finals in New Zealand. No Australian side has ever won in 21 play-off games in New Zealand. It's an unusual stat, but it's not as shameful as it sounds. Winning a play-off in New Zealand is bloody hard to do. Five of those play-off losses came in Australia's golden era, when great teams and legendary names couldn't even get it done. No South African side ever won a Super Rugby play-off in New Zealand either, from 15 attempts. Even all-powerhouse Kiwi teams have only won 10 from 32 play-offs offshore. Loading Winning a competition is not figuring out how to defy huge odds and win a semi-final in the wet of Waikato. It's how to play that semi-final in the cold of Canberra, instead. The key to that is to never have an off night at home, or as few as humanly possible. Easier said than done, sure. But no less true. You can't win a competition when fans are still in T-shirts. But as history keeps showing us, you can go a long way to losing one.
Sydney Morning Herald
6 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Boys who love a scrap': Concern over the rise of backyard fight clubs
'The authority will be taking compliance action against the organisers and all registered combatants that participated in the contest. The authority will continue to remain vigilant in its efforts to regulate the NSW combat sports industry to minimise harm to combatants and ensure the integrity of combat sport contests.' A person who holds a combat sports contest without a permit in NSW can be fined up to $40,000 or jailed for a year, or both. As well as concerns about safety, unlicensed fighting has also been linked to illegal gambling. Boxing Australia, the national federation for amateur boxing, said it did not support any form of unsanctioned combat sport. 'BA prioritises the safety of athletes and the integrity of our events and processes above all else. It is of obvious concern to see unregulated fights being conducted without the correct medical and technical supervision that underpins all of our supported tournaments,' Boxing Australia chief executive Dinah Glykidis said. 'We would strongly encourage anyone who wants to participate in boxing to contact any of the accredited gyms and coaches we have all over Australia, not put their health at risk for the entertainment of others on social media.' Valeri previously made headlines for starting a relationship with female prison guard Melissa Goodwin at Silverwater Correctional Complex during a two-month stay at its maximum-security remand and reception facility. An alleged former Rebels bikie associate, he told ex-bank robber Russell Manser's podcast in 2023 that he'd turned his back on a life of crime and wanted to be a role model for youth. Combatants wore mixed martial arts gloves in the Hood Contender, which was launched on June 7 and inspired by a backyard fight league in New Zealand, run by Kiwi UFC competitor Dan Hooker, that has become an online sensation. Professional fighters were not permitted to enter and organisers said there were other fight days planned. Mundine's proposed World Bare Knuckle Fighting series has warned that there could be further instances of off-the-books fights if a regulated form of hand-on-hand combat was not approved. 'It's forcing it underground, and it's only a matter of time until someone gets seriously injured,' said Oliver Joseski, one of Mundine's business partners. 'You only have to look at TikTok, Instagram … they're advertising it everywhere.' The separate Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, in which McGregor is a part owner, has drawn large crowds in the United States, Britain and Spain since its founding in 2018, but this month it had an application for a first Australian show in Perth rejected by Western Australia's Combat Sports Commission. Mundine's group has lobbied the Minns government and other states to give the green light to bare knuckle boxing, making a detailed submission in March to the Combat Sports Authority of NSW. It included concussion, medical and safety protocols, the establishment of a sanctioning body and constitution and an endorsement from retired Sydney GP Lou Lewis, a renowned ringside doctor. Lewis said that despite the bloodiness and brutal perception of bare knuckle boxing, it carried less risk of brain trauma than regular boxing with gloves because bouts were shorter and there were fewer sustained blows to the head. 'With any combat sport there is going to be an element of danger,' Mundine said. 'We've done all our research and studies on both arts, and it's come up even safer.' Loading The NSW government has a $16 million deal with the UFC for three events, the second of which took place in February, and Premier Chris Minns has embraced the global cage fighting powerhouse despite the controversy it attracts, saying not all Sydneysiders were interested in the arts scene and many liked mixed martial arts. The Combat Sports Authority of NSW said it was weighing up the merits of bare-knuckle boxing. 'The authority is considering the application [from Mundine's World Bare Knuckle Fighting] which includes obtaining advice from the authority's medical advisory committee in respect to health and safety of combatants,' a spokesperson said.
