We love the mighty Canberra Raiders
NRL heavily punishes Whitehead, but lenient on Mitchell, confusing standards in the league.
On the one hand, the NRL have doubled down on Elliott Whitehead's love tap with one of the most heavy handed responses in the history of the NRL.
Then on the other, the NRL's one-game ban of injured star Latrell Mitchell for bringing the game into disrepute is a chance of becoming completely meaningless.
Only in the NRL - where only occasionally do things make sense.
Tapine regrets missed opportunities as Raiders face slim chances of making NRL finals. Resurgence too late.
Joe Tapine admits he will look back on the season and wonder what might have been with a Canberra Raiders resurgence - which has brought down two NRL heavyweights - almost certainly coming too late to save their finals hopes.
The Raiders head into a round 27 clash with St George Illawarra with their top eight hopes hanging by the finest of threads, with Canberra needing to win and hope for a draw between Newcastle and the Dolphins to live on for another week.
Back-to-back wins over top four teams Penrith and the Sydney Roosters have shown what the Raiders are capable of - and that's what will sting Tapine during the off-season.
Joe Tapine signed an extension with Canberra Raiders, hopes to become team captain, ready for leadership role.
Joe Tapine has been building to this moment for years.
When he signed a four-year extension with the Canberra Raiders in 2022, the New Zealand enforcer turned down bigger money offers elsewhere to stay with the club he loves.
At the time he said he one day hoped to become captain.
With departing skipper Elliott Whitehead suspended from Canberra's season-ending clash with St George Illawarra on Saturday, Tapine will be handed the captaincy.
The 30-year-old thinks he is now ready to hold on to it on a permanent basis.
"I've been taking the last couple years behind...