The Canberra Raiders are working on retaining veteran forward Sia Soliola next season despite locking up youngster Joseph Tapine to a long-term deal.
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Soliola was outstanding for the Raiders in his debut season last year and claimed the club's Mal Meninga medal given to the player's player.
The 29-year-old is off contract at the end of this year after joining the Raiders on a two-year deal from English Super League club St Helens.
The Raiders secured another exciting prospect with 21-year-old Tapine gaining a release from the Newcastle Knights to move to Canberra immediately on a four-year deal.
But Raiders chief executive Don Furner said the addition of Tapine wouldn't have any effect on the club's desire to keep Soliola in the national capital beyond this season.
"It does not squeeze him out and it won't squeeze him out," Furner said.
"He will be with us next year and we're working on it."
Tapine has played the majority of his football in the second row, but the increased speed of the game and the reduction in interchanges could see him used in the front row.
The number of interchanges has been reduced from 10 to eight for this season, and could be reduced further down to six as early as next year.
Clubs are turning their recruiting focus to more mobile and athletic forwards who are capable of playing longer minutes on the field.
Soliola's experience and leadership has been vital to the Raiders, setting the benchmark for the younger players to follow.
The Raiders have plenty of competition for spots in the second row.
Josh Papalii and English recruit Elliott Whitehead were impressive against the Knights in last week's trial game, while Soliola started at lock in the place of the injured Shaun Fensom.
Tapine has played 20 first-grade games after making his debut in 2014.
His earlier than expected arrival this season allowed the Raiders to grant under-20s star Tevita Pangai a release from his contract so he can join the Brisbane Broncos.
Pangai had already agreed to a two-year deal with the Broncos until the end of 2018.
The Raiders originally intended to keep Pangai for the rest of the season, but he became expendable once they signed Tapine.
"He goes with our best wishes," Furner said of Pangai.
"There were other reasons why he wished to leave and we were happy to grant him that release because we've got a great player coming.
"We wouldn't let players of Tevita's calibre go lightly. He's definitely a future first grader.
"He had signed Broncos for '17 and '18. We didn't think we would have Joseph Tapine this year. When that happened, we reconsidered and granted him the release."
