Josh Papalii breaks Canberra’s appearance record as South Sydney capitulate

South Sydney gave up a 12-point lead to a blazing hot Green Machine, who celebrated veteran prop Josh Papalii’s record-breaking club appearance in style.

Josh Papalii celebrated his milestone in style. Picture: NRL Photos

It was billed as Josh Papalii’s record breaking party at GIO Stadium and celebrate the hardy Canberra faithful did as the Raiders moved to the top of the NRL ladder.

Fan favourite Papalii ran out for his 319th appearance to go past Jason Croker as the club’s most capped player and Canberra came from behind yet again to topple Souths 36-12.

In fairytale fashion Papalii sealed the win with two tries in the last 10 minutes, the 66th and 67th four pointers of his storied career – a record for a front rower. He even converted the second.

It was a Sunday afternoon where the temperature hovered around five degrees at kick-off and the windchill and rain pushed things below freezing, but almost everyone left GIO Stadium with a warm heart.

The win may have come at a cost for the Raiders – and NSW – after player of the match Hudson Young was put on report for a high shot on Jayden Sullivan in the first half.

Young and Blues coach Laurie Daley will now face a nervous wait at the hands of the match review committee before Daley names his squad for Origin II in Perth on June 18. Young has already been fined twice in the last 12 months for careless high tackles.

While it was Papalii’s day, Young and Corey Horsburgh were sensational for Canberra, while prodigious five eighth Ethan Strange contributed 18 points.

It took less than five minutes for Keaon Koloamatangi to barge over for the Rabbitohs, and they had a second 10 minutes later – the 201st of Alex Johnson’s career – for a 12-0 lead.

But there’s not a team in the NRL that relishes chasing down a score as much as the Raiders and despite a dearth of possession and field position, a piece of individual brilliance from Strange on the stroke of halftime saw the home side head to the sheds down by just six.

Ethan Strange was instrumental. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

Another solo effort from Strange from close range saw the Raiders level the scores on 50 minutes and when Zac Hosking scored ten minutes later after a calamitous effort to defuse a Jamal Fogarty bomb by Johnson, they led for the first time and ran away with it.

The win lifts the Raiders to the top of the ladder on for and against, for a day at least, with the Bulldogs a chance to return to the number one slot when they face Parramatta on Monday afternoon.

Origin watch

Latrell Mitchell and Hudson Young. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

NSW will await Young’s fate but will have no concerns around Latrell Mitchell, while Koloamatangi was immense again for Souths, cracking 200 run metres, and can do little more than he has over the last month to force his way into a Blues jersey.

Likewise, Horsburgh for the Maroons, ‘Big Red’ powering through a mountain of work, finishing the game with 119 run metres and 49 tackles.

Jai Arrow also reminded Billy Slater that he’s more than capable of playing at the top level.

Injury woes

Souths star Cody Walker, playing for the first time since round seven after battling a calf strain, failed to finish the game, suffering a groin injury.

Walker had been busy in the first half when the Bunnies dominated possession, but his immediate playing future is now in doubt.

Canberra winger Savelio Tamale was forced off with a suspected MCL injury inside the first 15 minutes, forcing backrower Simi Sasagi to come in and play left centre.

Tamale has been a revelation for the Raiders in his first season in the nation’s capital.

Cody Walker was forced off the field. Picture: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

Milestone mania

Papalii wasn’t the only player celebrating a milestone game with Rabbitohs backrower Euan Aitken making his 200th NRL appearance, while Raiders Matt Timoko and Horsburgh each racked up their 100th.

A Wayne Bennett favourite, Aitken made his first grade debut in 2015 for the Dragons where he went on to feature in 121 games, before playing 35 times for the Warriors and 36 for the Dolphins.

Aitken followed Bennett to Souths in 2025 and after missing the opening five rounds while recovering from a ruptured pectoral suffered last July, the versatile utility has started to return to form.