Josh Papalii says he wants to stay at Canberra in 2026, admitting his previous talk of leaving had come from no longer feeling good enough for the Raiders’ NRL side.

The bombshell comes after both player and club had publicly confirmed 2025 would be Papalii’s last in Canberra, with the veteran prop linked to the English Super League and NRL rivals.

In the weeks since, Papalii has broken Jason Croker’s record for most Raiders games, come out of State of Origin retirement to help Queensland to a fairytale series victory and reprised some of his best form.

After prolonged speculation about his future, Papalii confirmed on Monday he wanted to remain at the NRL’s ladder leaders, whom he joined as a teenager some 17 years ago.

“I know where I want to be but I know there are things that have to happen for me to stay (at the Raiders),” he told AAP.

“I totally understand. I’ve got to consider seeing myself somewhere else as well. 

“(But) I love Canberra, this has been a part of my life for the last 16, 17 years.

“I’ve left it up to my management team. I’m hoping, but hope doesn’t always get it over the line.”

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Papalii said when he’d previously spoken about moving on, he’d been feeling like he was no longer at the standard the Raiders required.

“I just felt like at the time and place when I was speaking to the media a few months ago, I wasn’t in a good place.  My footy probably wasn’t up to scratch,” said the 24-time Origin representative.

“I feel like with jerseys, you’ve got to earn them and I felt like I wasn’t earning my jersey at that time.

“The club means a lot to me so the last thing I wanted to do was be in the way of them signing a really great youngster coming through.”

But all that has since changed for Papalii as the Raiders have won 10 of their last 11 games and surged to the top of the ladder with a month to play in the regular season.

Papalii has led from the front, with 2025 shaping as one of his best years in recent memory.

“I feel like if I am in the way, I love the club too much to sit here and let that happen. But I don’t think that’s the case at the moment,” he said.

“I feel like I’m earning my jersey at the moment. I’m keeping my spot in the team and I’m adding value.”

Papalii will turn 34 in May next year but said he did not necessarily believe 2026 would be his final year at the Raiders if a deal could get over the line.

“There’s probably a good few years until I’m holding on too long,” he said.

“I’m one to let my footy do the talking and if I’m not performing, I wouldn’t want to be hanging around.

“Hopefully we get (the deal) done soon and put it all to bed and focus on the finals.”

Papalii is one of only three players remaining from the Raiders’ 2019 grand final team, and one of only three who were born when the club last won the premiership in 1994.

The prop says “belief is definitely there” that 2025 could be the Raiders’ year.

But coach Ricky Stuart has been quick to keep the Raiders grounded, reminding the squad on Monday that the season’s biggest battles were yet to come.

“We still need to secure that minor premiership and at the same time we have to win games to get to the grand final and win the grand final,” said Papalii.

“Until that’s all done, then we can look back and talk about the success story of 2025.”

Foxx on the run to the top in pace race

Slippery Eels winger Josh Addo-Carr has reclaimed his mantle as the NRL’s fastest player but a new rival is emerging from Penrith.

Addo-Carr was a lowly 10th in the pace race last year with a top speed of 35.6km/h, well behind Manly’s Jason Saab, who motored at 37.7km/h at his 2024 peak.

But the Indigenous All-Stars winger, who has rebuilt his career after switching from Canterbury to Parramatta, has clocked the fastest speed of 2025 at 36.6km/h in statistics provided by the NRL to NewsCorp.

Canberra duo Xavier Savage (36.2) and Kaeo Weekes (36.04) are next with Panthers young gun Casey McLean showing he will be a force to be reckoned with after hitting 35.9.

Cronulla’s Ronaldo Mulitalo was fifth with Jahream Bula, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Reuben Garrick, Seb Kris and Saab rounding out the top 10.

Savage and Weekes were sixth and eighth 10 last year while Mulitalo did not make the top 10 at all.

Five clubs didn’t have a player who has broken the 35km/h mark with Canterbury’s Jacob Kiraz (34.5), Dragons winger Tyrell Sloan (34.9), Newcastle’s Fletcher Sharpe (34.5) and the Storm’s Sua Fa’alogo (34.9) their best, along with Dominic Young’s 34.9 when he was at the Roosters.

Addo-Carr, who set the record for 2025 so far in a cover tackle attempt during their clash with Canterbury in June, sprinted over for two tries in Parramatta’s 19-18 triumph over the Cowboys on Sunday.

The 30-year-old is a chance to return to the representative ranks when the Kangaroos announce their end-of-season squad to tour the UK for the three-Test Ashes series.

Hayward extends Bulldogs tenure

Bailey Hayward is poised to become Canterbury’s long-term hooker after signing a contract extension that keeps him at the Bulldogs through 2028.

News of Hayward’s deal comes two days after he replaced North Queensland-bound Reed Mahoney at starting hooker in the Bulldogs’ defeat of the Warriors.

Coach Cameron Ciraldo confirmed Hayward would remain as starting No.9 for this week’s clash with the Sydney Roosters and the utility looks set to step into Mahoney’s shoes full-time in 2026.

Hayward had already been signed for next season but the extension is another showing of faith in a player rated highly by Bulldogs hierarchy for his versatility and leadership qualities.

“We’re extremely happy to have Bailey extend his time at the club,” said general manager of football Phil Gould.

“He has shown an innate ability to play in multiple positions, and we have a clear vision for him to become a leader in our side.”

Hayward has become a mainstay of the Bulldogs’ first grade side since his debut last year, deployed as a half, lightweight middle forward and hooker across 40 games so far.

He previously captained the club’s Jersey Flegg team in 2022.

The Bulldogs could return to the top two with a defeat of the Roosters at Allianz Stadium on Friday night and could regain fullback Connor Tracey from an abdomen injury for the game.

with AAP