Canberra has received a major morale boost ahead of Friday's sudden-death semi final against the Sydney Roosters with veteran prop Sia Soliola penning a one-year extension at the club.
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The Raiders finalised the deal this week, locking Soliola down for a seventh season in green as the club moved a step closer to locking in its playing roster for 2021.
It follows the recent re-signing of hooker Tom Starling, who committed to a further two years in Canberra last month. Outside back Jordan Rapana is the next cab off the rank and expected to follow suit shortly, believed to be on the verge of signing a two-year deal.
Soliola missed a large chunk of the year with a sickening facial fracture, but has returned in time for Canberra's second-consecutive NRL finals series.
"The year I've had has been a strange one but it its really nice at 34 to be playing the game I love," Soliola said.
"I'm really enjoying it and it's a great group of guys and I think this club is going to be a consistent title contender for the future and I want to be part of that. I guess it's just an automatic reflection on how I feel about the place, I love this game, I love this club and I want to give back.
"Its given me so much and I've generated so much from it that its only right that I give something back.
"My family and I love it here. The kids love it here especially my oldest boy. He was actually quite emotional given the potential idea of moving away because he loves this place and it's all he knows.
"Canberra is an awesome place and I'm very thankful."
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Soliola has been named at prop in Friday's clash against his old side, although coach Ricky Stuart will no doubt toy with the idea of starting him from the bench.
He named Dunamis Lui to start last weekend, before making a late change to allow Soliola a start in Saturday's 32-20 elimination final win over the Cronulla Sharks.
Stuart's side is otherwise unchanged to the team that progressed against Cronulla.
Last year's grand finalists have split the ledger in two home and away meetings this season. An injury-depleted Raiders downed the premiers 24-20 at the SCG in round 10, two weeks after Soliola's facial injury.
The Chooks turned the tide seven weeks later, beating the Raiders 18-6 at Canberra Stadium.
"We have to be better otherwise that's our season," Soliola said.
"There's [little] margin if any room for error now, we have to get it right and that's it.
"The majority of the games we've played in particular that one up at the SCG there, it was pretty evident that the start was a major factor.
"Our last game that we played against them over here at home, probably the start of our second half let us down. We need to marry the two mindsets together in terms of getting our starts right and feel like we've got the energy to try and start in the second half."
Roosters coach Trent Robinson has made two changes for the contest with Jake Friend returning at hooker, and Sonny-Bill Williams back on the bench.
The pair missed Friday's thrilling 29-28 qualifying final loss to the minor-premier Penrith Panthers and will add plenty of experience to the Roosters' imposing forward pack.
"As forwards we've got that responsibility to try and really lay a great platform," Soliola said.
"It's cliche but it's something that's never changed right from the start in rugby league when they first played it. We understand the big responsibility and the challenge that we have again, in particular with that Roosters pack, we know what they bring.
"It's going to be a huge ask but it's a challenge that we're looking forward to."
Captain Jarrod Croker said winning the forwards battle and matching the Roosters' opening intensity would be crucial to winning the match.
"We'll need to start a lot better this week, a good focus point for us is after 20, 30 minutes if it's nil-all, six-all, a really low scoring contest we're good enough to finish the game off," Croker said.
"It's about the big boys in the middle, especially the big games. I'm sure the two forward packs will be going hard at each other.
"That's how the outside backs and the halves do what they do, it's on the back of the forward packs. You want your forward packs rolling through the middle of their forwards then your halves can play off the back of that."
CANBERRA RAIDERS V SYDNEY ROOSTERS
FRIDAY OCTOBER 9, 7.50PM, SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND
1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Semi Valemei 3. Jarrod Croker (C) 4. Jordan Rapana 5. Nick Cotric 6. Jack Wighton 7. George Williams 8. Josh Papalii 9. Tom Starling 10. Sia Soliola 11. John Bateman 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Joe Tapine 14. Siliva Havili 15. Dunamis Lui 16. Hudson Young 17. Corey Harawira-Naera 18. Sam Williams 19. Matt Timoko 20. Kai O'Donnell 21. Michael Oldfield
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
