Canberra Raiders prop Joe Tapine reveals secrets behind boom NRL season

A self-imposed beer ban is one of the few tweaks that has helped Joe Tapine become the best prop in the world. And in another revelation that might have Canberra Raiders fans nervous, the New Zealand international says while he and his wife Kirsten are happy in the ACT he's open to offers. Tapine has been one of the Green Machine's best players all season and leads the NRL for post-contact metres (1596 metres), was third for offloads (42), and was the leading forward and third overall for run metres (3774m). He's produced his best output of his nine seasons, beating his previous campaigns for tackle busts, post-contact metres, offloads, run metres and tackles made. His front-row combination with Josh Papalii's one of the main reasons the Raiders have forced their way into the top eight and face the Melbourne Storm in an elimination final in Melbourne on Saturday. Tapine felt his rise was down to a few things that's he tweaked - plus the culmination of years of hard work finally paying off. "There's a couple of things, but I can't put a finger on it," he said. "I think it's just like anything, you train for a long time and it might take a bit longer to see the success come through. "I feel like my work over the last couple of years is starting to pay off. I've tweaked stuff that's made it better. "I can't put it down to one thing it's a lot of things - [like] my professionalism. "I've gone on a little bit of a drinking ban. Not a drinking ban, I've got off the beers for a while, a couple of months now. I feel a bit better, a bit fresh. Little things like that." Tapine's contracted to the Raiders until the end of 2023, but can start talking to other clubs about signing for the following seasons from November 1. The Raiders have already held preliminary talks with his manager about extending him beyond that. Tapine said nothing has been sorted yet and while he was happy in Canberra he left the door open to other offers. "My manager's over in NZ having a holiday so I'm waiting for him to get back," he said. "We had a couple of talks a couple of weeks ago. We'll have a look in the next couple of weeks or months and see what we're going to do. MORE RAIDERS NEWS "I haven't really nutted down anything yet. "I'm not closing any doors at the moment, but me and my wife are happy. But at the same time, still open." It wasn't just Tapine's game that's gone to another level, with the Raiders prop stating his coach Ricky Stuart had done the same too. The pair have become lunch buddies this season, after there was some tension between the two following Tapine's wife's criticism of Stuart on social media last year. Stuart overtook Tim Sheens to claim the Raiders' coaching record with 220 games at the helm following the 56-10 flogging of Wests Tigers on Sunday. "That's a huge accomplishment," Tapine said. "This year me and Stick's relationship's gotten better and I feel like he's grown as a coach as well. "He goes on lunches with other boys too now. His growth's been unreal this year. "It just shows it doesn't matter how long you've been in the game you've still got to improve your game at the same time." NRL ELIMINATION FINAL Saturday: Canberra Raiders v Melbourne Storm at Melbourne, 5.40pm. Raiders squad: 1. Xavier Savage, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Matt Timoko, 4. Sebastian Kris, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. Jamal Fogarty, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Zac Woolford, 10. Joe Tapine, 11. Hudson Young, 12. Elliott Whitehead (c), 13. Adam Elliott. Interchange: 14. Tom Starling, 15. Emre Guler, 16. Corey Horsburgh, 17. Corey Harawira-Naera. Reserves: 18. Albert Hopoate, 19. Ata Mariota, 20. Matt Frawley, 21. Peter Hola, 22. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad. Storm squad: 1. Nick Meaney, 2. David Nofoaluma, 3. Marion Seve, 4. Justin Olam, 5. Xavier Coates, 6. Cameron Munster, 7. Jahrome Hughes, 8. Jesse Bromwich, 9. Harry Grant,10. Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 11. Felise Kaufusi, 12. Kenny Bromwich, 13. Josh King. Interchange: 14. Brandon Smith, 15. Tui Kamikamica, 16. Trent Loiero, 17. Chris Lewis. Reserves: 18. Young Tonumaipea, 19. Jordan Grant, 20. Tepai Moeroa, 21. Cooper Johns, 22. Grant Anderson.