CANBERRA enforcer Josh Papalii won't be distracted by continuing speculation about his playing future and is primed to step up to the State of Origin arena.
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That is the view of Canberra lock Shaun Fensom as the Raiders face a torrid battle to retain the hard-hitting Queensland prospect in the face of a reported $1 million move to Parramatta.
The Raiders earmarked Papalii's re-signing as a priority at the end of last season after the 20-year-old rose to prominence with his powerhouse performance against NSW captain Paul Gallen in the first week of the finals.
However, they have so far been unable to secure his signature, with the uncertainty over the rise in the salary cap understood to have been a stumbling block in negotiations.
Fensom expects Papalii to remain focused on this season irrespective of where he ends up next year.
''He'll be making the right decision [for] him but I don't think it'll affect his performance at all,'' Fensom said. ''At the end of the day, you've got to be happy with your own decision and be able to live with that.
''You don't want to go somewhere where you're not going to be happy, because it'll have an adverse affect on your football and start showing on the field.''
Papalii's departure would be a major blow to the Raiders, given they first spotted him through their association with the Souths Logan club in Brisbane and relocated him to Canberra as part of their S.G. Ball under-18 squad.
Since making his first-grade debut in 2011, Papalii has quickly become an imposing force in the Raiders' second row and it wasn't long before an international call-up was on the cards.
A tug of war over his eligibility ensued, Papalii electing to make himself available for the Maroons after previously pledging his allegiance to his country of birth, New Zealand.
