Outside of Raiders headquarters, Dunamis Lui is considered an underrated journeyman on the verge of his 150th NRL game.
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But inside the club's four walls, to pinch a modern-day sporting soliloquy, you would struggle to find a more respected and loved member of the playing group.
He's started the past six games, proving an able replacement up forward for injured trio Sia Soliola, Emre Guler and Corey Horsburgh.
Ricky Stuart adores the former Brisbane Bronco, Manly Sea Eagle and St George Illawarra Dragon as last year's coach's award suggested.
In pre-COVID Times, Lui would invite teammates around for a Samoan feast. Nowadays he cooks lunch for Josh Papalii every day.
He speaks rarely, but when he does, they all listen.
"He's that sort of person he's willing to put others before himself," hooker Saliva Havili said.
"[It's] his team first values that he holds, he's a hard worker most definitely. He lets his actions talk more than his words. He doesn't really say much, we know when Nami's on and he does say something in the team videos it just goes to show how much respect he has in the team, a lot of players respond and respect his opinions."
Raiders players have had posters made up this week to celebrate Lui's milestone match against the Gold Coast Titans, which will be his 70th in lime green.
Typically, Lui is doing everything he can to stay out of the spotlight but come 3pm on Saturday he'll be the first one tearing into the Titans' forward pack.
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"Since the absence of Sia, Nami's really stepped up - not only his game but his leadership, his drive off the field," captain Jarrod Croker said.
"He's really taken ownership of the forward pack and doing the little things you don't see off field as well as on field.
"It's a massive game for him. He's very proud and the club's very grateful, hopefully we repay him with a win. He's the quiet achiever in the pack. We don't take Nami for granted the work he does, he is very underrated but certainly not by us."
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
