Why Josh Papalii is as important to the Raiders as Cameron Smith is to the Storm

It might sound crazy, but Sia Soliola is convinced Josh Papalii has just as big an impact on Canberra as Cameron Smith does on Melbourne.

Josh Papalii at Raiders training session at their Headquarters in Canberra. Picture Kym Smith

• HONEST: How Morris got the best out of SJ

• KENT: Beanies, Everest and the Chief

Josh Papalii is to the Canberra Raiders what Cameron Smith is to the Melbourne Storm.

It’s a huge claim and one that Raiders veteran Sia Soliola makes without any hesitation.

Soliola believes Papalii, the only current representative prop in Ricky Stuart’s pack, is the reason the Green Machine are punching above their weight upfront and sitting fourth on the ladder.

“What Papa does, it really lifts everybody else to a different level. It’s the same to what Cameron Smith does to a lot of the players around him, Papa is the same as well. When we are with him we have this confidence, he gives us that and he lifts the group,” Soliola said.

The sides above the Raiders on the ladder — Storm, South Sydney and the Sydney Roosters — have engine rooms adorned with names like Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Jesse Bromwich, the Burgess brothers, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Sio Siua Taukeiaho.

Live stream the 2019 NRL Telstra Premiership on KAYO SPORTS. Every game of every round live & anytime on your TV or favourite device. Get your 14 day free trial.

Papalii has been in top form. Picture by Kym Smith.

But the lack of star power doesn’t worry Soliola. Not only does Papalii ‘lift’ the forwards around him, his presence elevates them to the level of a representative player.

“For me personally, I have set my benchmark to try and keep in touch with Papa because he has been outstanding this year, Soliola said.

“When he’s in your team, whether it’s here or Queensland or Australia, he’s got guys around him that lift off the back of him and the work he does.

LISTEN! Matty’s back with Kenty and Finchy and they run the rule over the Raiders premiership chances, try to understand what’s happening at the Sharks and look back at the ‘89 grand final and ask what would have happened in 1989 if the Tigers won.

“For us it’s helped the fresh forwards like Corey Horsburgh, Hudson Young and Emre Guler and even someone like Dunamis Lui, who doesn’t get the accolades. But you see Papa’s influence in Dunamis when he plays.”

The unfamiliar names are one of many noticeable changes at the Raiders in season 2019.

At the end of last year the club let go of Junior Paulo and Shannon Boyd — physically, two of the biggest forwards in the competition.

The Queensland Origin star has become one of the best props in the game. Picture by Kym Smith.

But coach Stuart didn’t replace the big men with like for like recruits, instead he opted for a mobile pack.

The move raised eyebrows considering it was a deviation from recent Canberra outfits in which man mountain forwards were a prominent feature.

“From the outside in people weren’t sure how we would progress having a smaller and thinner pack. I guess a lot of us were a bit unsure how it would work out too,” Soliola said.

“It seemed like a common theme in the game that you have to have really big men, but this year we've proven that’s not the only way you can do things.”

Downsizing his props wasn’t the only thing Stuart wanted to do differently this year.

Stuart spent the first half of pre-season focusing purely on defence and it’s showing in his side’s results.

Papalii has been one of Canberra’s best middles. AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts.

According to Fox Sports Lab, Canberra have conceded 43 tries, only the Storm (36) have conceded less tries so far this year.

“That’s what everyone is seeing … that it’s not only the shift in size but the shift in attitude in us defensively and how we are trying to really work hard and having the attitude of not letting your mate down,” Soliola said.

“Ricky came in on day one of pre-season and addressed the squad, he knew what he wanted and defence was one of the focal message.

The Raiders have kept three clean sheets this year and will be looking to do that against tomorrow afternoon against Penrith at Panthers Stadium.

Originally published as Why Josh Papalii is as important to the Raiders as Cameron Smith is to the Storm