Canberra or Belmore? Call on Papali'i's 300th game milestone looms

Papali'i - who plays his 299th game for when the Raiders host South Sydney at Canberra Stadium on Sunday - is on the verge of becoming the third man to play 300 games for Canberra.

The 32-year-old is on track to reach the milestone against Canterbury when the Bulldogs go back Belmore in round 22.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart could opt to rest Papali'i and in turn allow him to reach the milestone at Canberra Stadium the following week, having opted for a similar move in the lead-up to Jarrod Croker's 300^th game last year.

Stuart gave the club's all-time leading point scorer a night off when Canberra played in Campbelltown so Croker would become the first Raider in 17 yeas to hit the milestone - in front of what would be the Raiders' biggest home crowd in four years - a week later.

The decision to rest Croker was revealed in a post-game press conference, and Raiders officials say Stuart could wait until full-time this weekend to make a call on Papali'i.

Rugby league Immortal Mal Meninga - who will return to the Raiders in an ambassadorial role - says Papali'i will go down as one of the game's "greatest front-rowers".

"From Papa's point of view, he's Canberra through and through," Meninga said.

"He came here as a young kid through the juniors and played all his career here. He had some moments there but he thought better and [decided] to stay in Canberra.

"He's certainly one of the greater front-rowers that has played our game, and certainly one of the greatest front-rowers that has played for the Canberra Raiders.

"He is held in high regard, not only within the club but certainly outside the club as well. He's been a great person and player for the Raiders."

Papali'i could eventually retire as the club's most-capped player with only Jarrod Croker [306] and Jason Croker [318] ahead of the 32-year-old, who is locked in until the end of 2025.

Papali'i's popularity among Raiders fans would likely attract a bumper crowd if he was to play his 300th game at Canberra Stadium against Manly on August 10.

Croker's milestone match drew a crowd of 21,082 people - the best attendance figure at Canberra Stadium since the 2019 preliminary final - only for the New Zealand Warriors to rain on the parade.

But the emotional build-up made for a week to remember for Croker, who once seemed destined to fall just short of the 300-game mark during an injury-plagued end to his career.

Kids came from everywhere wearing the headgear Croker had once given them after games while just about every person in Goulburn made the trek to Bruce to celebrate one of the club's favourite sons.

Fans would come in droves if Papali'i is able to play his 300th game at Canberra Stadium, while plenty would likely head to Sydney if he is to play at Belmore.

Raiders prop Joe Tapine likens Papali'i's presence in Canberra to that of Meninga - a premiership-winning captain - in a sign of his impact on the club.

"The way he leads on the field, the way he plays is a huge thing I look up to," Tapine said.

"He's been here for so long, he was so welcoming when I came to the club as well. What he has done in the game is huge. That's a huge one on the calendar."

The Raiders already have another milestone on the horizon with Elliott Whitehead poised to play his 200th game for the club this weekend.

Whitehead will leave the Raiders at the end of the season to join Catalans Dragons, who have also secured the signatures of Canberra winger Nick Cotric and Sydney Roosters playmaker Luke Keary for 2025.

"It's time for us to make it a special day for him. We're going to go out there and put a big performance in for him, because he does it week in, week out for us," Raiders hooker Tom Starling said.