Josh Papalii famously backflipped on a move to Parramatta in 2013, but what is not known is how the latest member of the NRL’s 300 club almost became a South Sydney Rabbitoh.
The front-rower will celebrate the special milestone when he leads the way for the Canberra Raiders against the Bulldogs at a packed Belmore Sportsground on Sunday afternoon.
It is an excellent achievement for Papalii, considering he has spent his entire career at the one club, and the position he plays.
Papalii signed a three-year deal with the Eels for the start of the 2014 season, but got cold feet and reneged. Ricky Stuart was coach of the Eels at the time, only to later join Papalii in the nation’s capital.
This masthead can now reveal Papalii was almost tempted to leave a second time when targeted by Souths in 2018 as a back-row replacement for Sydney Roosters-bound Angus Crichton.
Papalii had been dropped to reserve grade at the start of that season before he eventually signed a four-year extension, but not before discussing a Redfern move.
Then-Souths coach Anthony Seibold had worked as an assistant with the Queensland Origin team and knew Papalii well. The powerhouse was yet to move to the front row, and would have played on the edge in a pack that already featured Sam Burgess and a young Cam Murray.
Josh Papalii will on Sunday become the third man to play 300 games for Canberra, along with Jason Croker and Jarrod Croker.Credit: Getty Images
Papalii and Seibold spoke on several occasions that year, only for Papalii to again stay loyal to the green machine.
“I was close to joining Parra – I met with their board and I wanted to play under ‘Sticky’ [Stuart], but I couldn’t do it, I backflipped because I had a little family, and couldn’t see myself living in Sydney,” Papalii told this masthead.
“At that stage in my life, I thought Canberra was the best place for me.
“But Souths was also a team I looked at when Seibold was there. I spoke to Seebs a few times. Nothing [progressed beyond] those early chats. I also never really put myself on the market.”
There are so many priceless memories involving Papalii during his 14 years in Canberra.
There was his 2011 debut when the Raiders avoided an eighth straight defeat to stun the Storm in Melbourne. The try in the preliminary final that sent the Raiders through to the 2019 grand final (above) will never be forgotten.
The 60-metre sprint before ankle-tapping Jamal Fogarty during a game against the Gold Coast in 2020 – the inspirational passage of play was later commemorated on a pair of 40-inch polyester limited-edition budgy smugglers – is played to him every day before he leaves for training.
“My son Noa is six and has figured out how to play YouTube clips, so he plays my highlights every morning before he goes to school,” Papalii said. “He’s my minion. He’s got the same mullet, the same attitude, the same body as well.
“It was all fun and games when Jamal first arrived at the club. That try in the prelim gets played every day as well. They are memories I’ll cherish for a long time.”
Papalii rated Elliott Whitehead among the toughest he has played with, and Paul Gallen one of the toughest he played against.
The 32-year-old will be shown no love by the Belmore faithful. Raiders officials can still recall the day a fan launched a glass bottle at Frank-Paul Nu’uausala as he stayed warm on an exercise bike on the sideline in 2016 at the historic suburban venue.
Papalii’s mother, Luama, only had one wish ahead of her son’s trip to Belmore.
“Mum wants me to cut off my hair and look respectable for all the [300-game] photos,” Papalii said. “I grew my hair for two years, chopped it all off, but I missed it and grew it back.
“Half of it has been chopped off now, but only because [teammate] Danny Levi cut it the wrong way. I told him to trim the bottom a couple of weeks ago, but he cut it in half. It still looks all right.”
Papalii will be joined by his family, including wife, Masepa, and three children, Khalani, 10, Noa, and two-year-old Joshua, before the Raiders hold their own celebrations back home next Saturday.
Papalii is contracted for next year – and, provided he stays injury free, will overtake Jason Croker (318 games) as the most-capped Raider – but he hasn’t given any thought to his plans beyond that. More golf is an option. He has a handicap of seven.
One Raiders’ fan favourite who did make the move to Souths, Jack Wighton, was delighted for Papalii before his milestone game.
Wighton pointed out he and Papalii had started on the same day at the Raiders as under-18s, and used to comfort each other in those early days when they were both homesick.
“Joshy Paps is one of the best mates you’ll have, one of the best teammates, one of the best family men you’ll see,” Wighton said. “He was like a wombat flying at you [during opposed sessions]. And to top it off he’s got footwork and ball skills. If you made him cranky, you’d know about it.”
Xerri’s comeback almost ended before it started
After four years out of the game, Bronson Xerri’s remarkable comeback to the NRL almost ended in the second week of pre-season training.
The Bulldogs have surprised everyone with their gritty performances this year – and few people genuinely believed Xerri would have such an impact after serving a lengthy drugs ban.
Bronson Xerri has made a successful return to rugby league this season.Credit: Getty
While setting himself the lofty goal of starting in round one, Xerri briefly wondered if he would be back at all after coming to a complete stop while running laps around Belmore.
Even though he had spent three days a week sprint training with Roger Fabri, and another two sessions wrestling at Smeaton Grange, Xerri was shocked by the intensity of his return to rugby league.
“I thought to myself I had trained so hard before the pre-season, but it didn’t come close to how hard it would actually be,” Xerri told this masthead.
“We did a fitness drill one morning and I couldn’t keep up. It was long-distance running after a long session.
“It got to the point I couldn’t even finish. Throughout my career, I had never stopped during a pre-season. But I had nothing left in the tank. I was so embarrassed. My body wasn’t up to scratch.
“Ciro’ [coach Cameron Ciraldo] came up to me and said, ‘Do you still want this?’
“I said to him straight away, ‘Of course I still want this’. Being out for four years, my fitness, my football, I didn’t doubt myself, but I knew it would be hard.
“When Ciro said what he said to me, it only motivated me.”
Xerri has nailed down a starting centre spot, and will be reunited with winger Josh Addo-Carr for Sunday’s clash against the Raiders.
To prove how far his physical and mental strength has come, Xerri survived the past two games, against the Cowboys and Broncos, battling influenza. He did not train all week leading up to the shock win over Brisbane.
The 23-year-old has always been open about his absence from the game, and said it only made him appreciate what he was experiencing now, including the chance to walk with his Bulldogs teammates from the leagues club to the ground with the fans.
“I spoke to Ciro about this only as few weeks ago about whether I’d be as grateful as I am right now if I didn’t go through that four years,” Xerri said.
“I had everything before then. I went straight from school to the NRL. I never had to work. I had it all handed to me.
“Every game I know I’m blessed to be doing what I love.
“The family name has been dragged through the mud the last few years. A big part of me coming back was to put the limelight on our name and make my family proud again. We’re all enjoying me being back out there.”
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