Last year he returned out of shape and was soon dropped. But Papalii has turned into "an absolute beast" and put those demons to bed.

He may need to find another level for a pack set to miss John Bateman for up to two months as he prepares for surgery on a fractured eye socket.

But Canberra teammate Sia Soliola wouldn't put it past 26-year-old Papalii leading into a clash against the star-studded Sydney Roosters in Brisbane on Sunday.

"He has had his critics in the past regarding his performance and his weight," Soliola said.

"But for him to just come back off the back of winning the Meninga Medal, and really just making a stand in regards to our off-season, he is really showing leadership qualities around our group.

"That's a great thing for the club, and it's a great thing for Queensland, I suppose, if he gets picked.

MORE RAIDERS NEWS

"We're finding things that are working for us at the moment with the guys that are starting. Papa was amazing [against Penrith], he was an absolute beast."

Canberra's English import Ryan Sutton hasn't wasted any time in warming to Papalii - he just "can't praise him enough".

"He takes the carries not many people will take and he scatters people. That's what you look for in a leader. I love playing beside him because of that reason," Sutton said.

But it seems Canberra are running out of troops to play alongside.

Canberra could enter the clash as the walking wounded with centre Joey Leilua in doubt for a tantalising showdown with Latrell Mitchell, while Jordan Rapana is not due back for another week or two.

The Raiders' experienced heads will now need to shoulder an even heavier workload with Bateman slated to miss six to eight weeks with his fractured eye socket.

Another injury to a side already missing Joe Tapine - who is not expected to return until about round 15 - is a cruel blow and it will again test Canberra's depth in the forwards.

Coach Ricky Stuart has been rotating his emerging crop of forwards throughout the season and giving them a taste of the top flight could soon prove invaluable as the Raiders look to plug a huge gap.

"We've got good options, that's the good thing about this side," Sutton said.

"We've got players that can just slot in and Stick has emphasised that quite a bit, that players in the Mounties are playing quite well and everyone is fighting for places. It's anyone's go really."

Whoever gets the nod will be thrown into a huge magic round clash against the high-flying Roosters before the Raiders set their sights on second-placed South Sydney in a blockbuster two weeks.

"[The Roosters] obviously top of the league at the minute and they're playing some really good rugby," Sutton said.

"That's the reason for me coming over, you want to play against the best week in, week out.

"They've got some really good enforcers, and it's going to be a good test for us middles because there was a lot of doubt about us at the start of the year.

"[People were saying] the weight side of it might go against us, but we're proving people wrong."

NRL ROUND NINE

Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Sydney Roosters at Suncorp Stadium, 2pm.