Ask Sia Soliola and he will tell you Josh Papalii epitomises what it is to be a Canberra Raider.
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Put that to the man himself and he will shrug it off with a sheepish grin - but Papalii's third Meninga Medal suggests Soliola is right on the mark.
Papalii claimed the Raiders' player of the year award at the Meninga Medal function at the AIS on Tuesday night.
It is Papalii's second successive Meninga Medal and his third in four years - a record that puts him alongside some of rugby league's all-time greats.
Ricky Stuart won three player of the year awards while Laurie Daley sets the benchmark with five - and at 27 years old, Papalii has plenty of time to catch him too.
The Meninga Medal is voted on a 3-2-1 basis by Raiders players and coaching staff, with Papalii finishing on 27 points - four clear of second-placed Jack Wighton on 23.
New recruits Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and John Bateman rounded out the top four with 16 points apiece to cap off a dream start to their careers in lime green.
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Canberra veteran Soliola can think of nobody more deserving than his front-row partner who has emerged as one of the NRL's premier props.
"He has been awesome, not only as a player but as one of our leaders," Soliola said.
"He has been unbelievable for us. He has really laid a foundation for us as forwards in terms of consistency, how he has handled himself in representative footy as well, he epitomises what a Canberra Raiders forward is all about.
"I've really enjoyed watching him, especially in the team, I've really enjoyed his growth. He has just gone over and above with the minutes he plays.
"A lot probably questioned how people would handle the workload coming from back-row to front-row, but he is eating it up.
"He's a bloody beast when it comes to the work he does and the minutes he plays. We're really fortunate to have someone like Paps in our joint leading the way."
Everyone sees the "bloody beast" when he steps over the white line each week for the Green Machine. But off the park?
There he is anything but - Papalii is "chalk and cheese".
"He's pretty scary out there on the pitch but you get him off the field and he is as nice as they come. He's more gentle than a butterfly," Soliola said.
"That's the way Papa is, he knows how to conduct himself. That's probably the biggest thing I have enjoyed about Paps - the work he does on the football field and what he does off the field.
"He's a pretty funny guy, he draws a lot of funny attention to himself. What it does is really generates a good vibe around the joint.
"You know you're going to have a good time with Papa. Anyone you ask about him speaks highly of him because he is just a guy you want to be around."
Papalii's impact on the Raiders rightly receives plenty of praise but the Meninga Medal night gave coach Ricky Stuart a chance to congratulate one of the unsung heroes.
Dunamis Lui claimed the coaches award following an impressive season in which he has racked up some career-best numbers throughout 25 games.
Emerging winger Bailey Simonsson capped off his breakout season with the rookie of the year gong - an award shared by cult hero Corey Horsburgh.
Captain Jarrod Croker claimed the Fred Daly club person of the year award while Sam Williams took out the Geoff Caldwell welfare and education prize.
MENINGA MEDAL 2019
Meninga Medal - Josh Papalii (27 votes)
NRL Coaches Award - Dunamis Lui
NRL Rookies of the Year - Bailey Simonsson and Corey Horsburgh
Fred Daly Club Person of the Year - Jarrod Croker
Geoff Caldwell Welfare and Education Award - Sam Williams
Jersey Flegg Player of the Year - Harley Smith-Shields
Jersey Flegg Coaches Award - Kai O'Donnell