A St Helens-linked NRL forward has caused a stir on a potential move to the UK, following his latest comments.
Canberra Raiders veteran Josh Papali’i looked set to be joining St Helens from next season, with rumours aplenty as coach Paul Wellens looks to strengthen his pack.
However, that move is up in the air as Papali’i has shared an update on where his future lies in 2026.
Speaking to the Australian media, he said: “I’m still unsure.
“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.”
With the Raiders currently sitting top of the NRL standings, the 33-year-old is in some of the best form of his career as an ever-present this season, and averaging around 100m per game.
He’s also operating at 97.6% tackle efficiency, which is incredible for a player of his age and stature, and has also helped him be recalled for Queensland on State of Origin duties.
Canberra Raiders forward debates NRL or Super League move for 2026
Having recently taken the Raiders’ all-time appearance record, he feels that he’s still got more to give.
However, with Canberra not extending his contract, he’s been forced to look for opportunities elsewhere, both in the NRL and in Super League.
He continued: “Holding the record for Canberra now and overtaking Jason Croker down there with the most games for Canberra Raiders is obviously very special, and that’s how I sort of want to keep it.
“But 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.
“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.”
Whether he will be Super League-bound for 2026 is still not confirmed, but he would add experience and power to any forward pack that he joins.
