Jordan Rapana locked in for two more NRL seasons at the Canberra Raiders

The New Zealand international is set to remain a Raider after securing a new two-year deal to keep him in Canberra until the end of the 2023 NRL season, as the club continues to chase its drought-breaking premiership.

Rapana has played more than 150 games in green and returned to the club in May last year following a one-year rugby union deal with Panasonic Wild Knights in the Japanese Top League.

The NRL initially ruled out allowing him to return to play in the 2020 season, but the cancellation of the Japanese league due to COVID-19 changed that and he suited up for 19 games for the Raiders last year.

The winger said he had built a home with his partner in the capital and that was why the two-year deal to remain, and not look at a code switch, was a no-brainer for him.

"That's the way footy works, I guess. One door closes, another opens but fortunate for me that I was able to come back after my stint in Japan and I was over the moon that I got to come back in 2020 and again this year able to re-sign for another two years," Rapana said.

"Canberra's become my home and my wife's from there, we love it there, there is no better place to finish my career, so as long as I can stay in Canberra colours for as long as I can, then the happier man I'll be.

"I'm really excited about what the team can achieve over the next few seasons and I'm looking forward to being a part of that and helping the younger guys who have stepped up this season take their games to the next level."

Rapana will now set his sights on Canberra's do-or-die final-round clash against the Sydney Roosters in Mackay on Thursday night.

The Raiders must win to keep their finals dream alive, entering the round in ninth place behind the Cronulla Sharks, who boast a superior points differential but face the ladder-leading Melbourne Storm in round 25.

One thing that could help fuel the side is haunting memories of the 2019 grand final showdown.

"Obviously we're still very bitter about it, but it was two years ago now," Rapana said.

"We've played them like four times in between that, it's a new year and we still have belief that we can still be real contenders for a premiership, and it all starts this weekend with knocking off the Roosters to give us a real chance."

Rapana enters the Roosters clash in red hot form having run for 277 metres, scored a try, set up another, kicked four goals, made two line breaks and 10 tackle busts to inspire Canberra to a stirring comeback win over the New Zealand Warriors last week.

The Raiders will fancy their chances against a Roosters side ravaged by injury.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said Rapana's versatility would be a benefit for his side, especially heading into the must-win fixture.

"He tells me every week what he can do, and he's actually doing it so I can't criticise him for it," Stuart said.

"He amazes me, Rapa. He breaks a lot of tackles, he makes a lot of metres, but it's all through effort and energy.

"He's a little bit like Elliott [Whitehead] - he's a real team person."

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