The Canberra Raiders were preparing to face the high-flying Brisbane Broncos and here was a 19-year-old rookie only three games into his NRL career, seemingly without a care in the world as he took his seat near the hotel buffet on the morning of June 12, 2011.

"It was in his first couple of games playing first grade, he was only a young fella," Shillington said with a hint of laughter.

"Me, Dane Tilse and Tommy Learoyd-Lahrs saw him eating pancakes and bacon with all this maple syrup for breakfast.

"We thought 'we better talk to him, you can't eat like that on game day, but we'll wait until after the game. We don't want to put him off his game and we'll talk to him on Monday'.

"Then he came out that game and scored two tries against the Broncos, they just couldn't stop him, he was a beast.

"Not only did we not talk to him on the Monday about taking care of his diet, but we thought about eating pancakes and bacon ourselves for the next pre-game meal."

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Papalii would soon learn pancakes and bacon topped with maple syrup wasn't always the best food to wolf down on game day.

So he took a leaf out of Shillington's book - maybe those poached eggs and avocado on toast had something to do with the prop forward's rise into the State of Origin arena.

Now Papalii is a Queensland Maroons regular.

Better yet, he finds himself on the brink of playing in his first grand final as the Raiders prepare to meet the Sydney Roosters in the decider at Sydney Olympic Park on Sunday.

This is the height Shillington and so many of Papalii's former teammates never managed to scale.

It is Canberra's first grand final in 25 years. They come in as rank outsiders against the defending premiers.

Joey Leilua is the only Raider to have played in an NRL grand final - his came nine years ago as a Rooster. Those from Sydney's east could boast as many as 14 players with experience on the biggest stage.

Yet Shillington has known Papalii long enough to suggest he will not be daunted by the big stage - and he certainly would not want to find himself in the firing line come the opening whistle.

"I sure wouldn't want to be on the opposition. I would imagine if someone rolled a bowling ball at me and I tried to tackle it with my shoulder, I would probably break my shoulder," Shillington said.

"I think that's what it would be like tackling Josh."

First comes the chance to claim the NRL's prop of the year award at the Dally M awards night at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion on Wednesday night.

The 27-year-old is likely to fend off his rivals en route to a place in the NRL team of the year - and he could find himself in good company.

Jarrod Croker is in the hunt for both captain and centre of the year award while Josh Hodgson (hooker), Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (fullback), John Bateman (second-row) and Jack Wighton (five-eighth) are also in the hunt.

Sia Soliola has been named as one of four contenders for the Ken Stephen Medal while Ricky Stuart rounds out Canberra's nominations as he enters the frame for the coach of the year gong.

If Stuart had his way, Papalii would be standing on stage at night's end with the game's highest individual accolade hanging around his neck.

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Yet there can be little doubt he would trade it all in for the chance to be standing on stage on Sunday night with a shiny new ring.

Papalii's desperation to help Canberra to its first premiership since 1994 eats away at him every day, and his outing in the grand final will go a long way towards deciding which side finds themselves etched into rugby league folklore.

"He has had that ability and raw talent," Shillington said.

"Over the years it has caught up with him at times and I reckon he has had to increase his level of professionalism so to speak, but he has done it every time.

"He has been a mainstay for the Maroons for a long time and he has developed into a consistent leader at the Raiders, and now one of the best players playing at the moment in the NRL.

"He's always had this in him, and he has shown it from time to time and played some good footy. At the moment he has stepped up to another level and been quite consistent. It's great to see.

"He's such a good fella, Papa, everyone knows how talented he is and it is great to see him leading from the front.

"Guys like Papa, Jack Wighton, John Bateman, Josh Hodgson, those guys have been playing out of their skin and they are real leaders of the pack there.

"If those guys step right up and have fantastic games, they're definitely a shot."

NRL GRAND FINAL

October 6: Canberra Raiders v Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium, 7.30pm. Tickets available from Ticketek.