![Kirsten and Joe Tapine after the Raiders prop won the Meninga Medal. Picture by Melanie Dinjaski Kirsten and Joe Tapine after the Raiders prop won the Meninga Medal. Picture by Melanie Dinjaski](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/168198572/9c76955a-0c5a-4235-bace-dc6e2bc74f72_rotated_270.jpg/r0_584_3013_2388_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
He's the intimidating, freight train Raiders prop who has led from the front in Canberra's charge to the NRL finals this season, earning him his first Meninga Medal.
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But when Joe Tapine was on stage to receive his player of the year award from Raiders legend Mal Meninga on Monday night, he was fighting the urge to burst into tears speaking about the driving force behind his success - his wife, Kirsten.
"I was a bit wild in my youth, but she steadies my ship," Tapine said of her influence.
"She does everything - everything people don't see for footy players off-field... I don't know where I'd be without her."
Gone are the days where rugby league stars would shy away from portraying themselves as anything other than bulletproof bruisers who would rather be seen huffing darts and downing 20 tinnies than shed a tear talking about their emotions.
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This is 2022, and Tapine is the new breed of rugby league forwards, unashamed about wearing his heart on his sleeve, and on a self-imposed booze ban the last few months in the chase for a premiership.
"I am an emotional person," he said. "Emotions get to me easily. People probably don't know that because I'm a footy player.
"I always play with emotion and passion too, and probably control it better now than I did when I was younger."
Tapine's wife has been a very supportive figure in his career.
She famously criticised Raiders coach Ricky Stuart on social media last season for benching her husband, prompting Stuart to hose down rumours of a rift with the forward.
That speed hump in Tapine and Stuart's relationship actually proved pivotal, paving the way for the pair to grow closer through several conversations in the aftermath, and since then Tapine's game has elevated to an all-new level.
Stuart has praised the New Zealand international as the best prop in the world this season, and backed him to be named Kiwi captain for the Rugby League World Cup.
The 28 year old won the Meninga Medal count emphatically with 44 points, 22 clear five-eighth Jack Wighton.
"It means a lot. You try and be that player that everyone wants to play with, and I'm just so glad that the boys recognised that in me," he said.
"I feel like my form has been very good this year and it's off the back of the boys and having confidence playing with them."
Now Tapine turns his attention to the Canberra's finals clash against the Parramatta Eels on Friday night in Sydney.
Just two wins from the NRL grand final, and in the best form of his career, there's one more piece of bling Tapine is determined to add to his Meninga Medal - a premiership ring.
"That's what everyone dreams of - you want to win comps and I haven't won one," he said.
"This has been building nicely though."
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