They've always intimidated NRL opposition with their size, and the 2021 New Zealand Warriors are more fearsome than ever.
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Just ask New Zealand international Joe Tapine.
"They are physical, they're always a big team, even their wingers are bigger than us forwards so it's going to be tough," the Raiders lock said ahead of Saturday's showdown with the New Zealand club at Canberra Stadium.
Addin Fonua-Blake has entered the fold from Manly this season, and will play his 100th NRL match this weekend. The 118kg Ben Murdoch-Masila has also joined the club.
They're top blokes off the field - on Tuesday the pair stopped and helped an elderly lady change a tyre en route to training - but on the field it's a different story.
Fonua-Blake's playing weight hovers somewhere between 118 and 123kg, and Tapine knows first hand just how devastating the 25-year-old can be.
"I had a camp with him when he was at the Kiwis, and I've played Junior Kiwis with him, he's a great dude and good player so he's one to watch," Tapine said.
"He's got good footwork for a big dude so that's something we've got to watch, and his offloads."
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Fonua-Blake has arguably emerged as the signing of the year after two rounds in the NRL, rivalling reborn Raiders prop Ryan James.
It will be up to the likes of Tapine, James and the Raiders in-form middle forwards to control the Warriors' heavyweight pack to maintain Canberra's unbeaten start to the season.
"We're lucky we've got four middles on the bench rotating because they have made the game faster," Tapine said.
"The first 20 minutes of every game this year have been very quick, way quicker than it has been in the past, you can feel it and I think it's going to take a while to get used to."
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