Josh Papali’i has left the door ajar for a move away from Canberra in 2026, revealing he’s open to continuing his career at another club, even if it means pulling on a different NRL jersey for the first time.
The Raiders veteran, who now holds the club record for most first-grade games, is off-contract at the end of the season and has not received an extension offer from the Green Machine. While Papali’i is yet to commit to playing on, he admitted he’s seriously weighing up his options.
“If the team that you’re playing for is not offering you another contract for the following year and you want to play on, you’ve obviously got to look elsewhere,” he told AAP.
“You never say never. I still feel like I’ve got a lot of footy in me, whether that’s in the NRL or Super League.”
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“I still feel like I can play good footy”
At 33, Papali’i remains a key figure in a Raiders side currently sitting atop the ladder with 13 wins from 16 matches. His form has even earned him a return from representative retirement, with the Queenslander set to line up in the State of Origin decider next week.
Asked directly if he will play on in 2026, Papali’i was non-committal but optimistic.
“I’m still unsure,” he said. “I feel like I still got a lot to offer as a player and as a mentor, and just being an older head. I still feel like I can still play good footy, and I think our season down in Canberra is sort of showing that.”
Papali’i will miss the Raiders’ clash with the Dragons at GIO Stadium tonight due to Origin duties.