The boom front-rower's emerged as arguably the best big man in the game this season and will again be a crucial cog for Canberra for their massive game against the St George Illawarra Dragons at Wollongong on Sunday.

Tapine is contracted until the end of the 2023 NRL season, although he's reportedly being chased by seven clubs - as his manager chases the best deal he can for his client.

The news comes as the Green Machine look set to be rewarded for being a development club in the upcoming collective bargaining agreement.

It's a move Raiders chief executive Don Furner said was long overdue.

Furner's held preliminary talks with Tapine's manager and was keen to keep his star front-rower.

Talks were also progressing to lock young hooker Zac Woolford in with a two-year extension.

"Of course we want to keep [Tapine] and that's what we'll sit down with his management to talk about shortly. Of course we want him to stay," Furner said.

The NRL's finally looking at rewarding clubs financially for putting their own money where their development is.

As part of the new CBA, clubs would get base-level funding for having an NRL team, but then get more if they have juniors and an NRLW side as well.

Furner praised the move because of how expensive being a development club was.

"There's different tiers of funding so if you've got a women's team you get more funding, if you put in Harold Matthews, SG Ball, Jersey Flegg - all the tiers of the development pathway - you get more funding," he said.

"In a way it's rewarding those that fulfill the full pathway model. Some do some of it, some do all of it.

"They've got to come up with it yet, but it will be something that rewards those that put in a Tarsha Gale, plus a women's team, plus all the men's teams. That's good. It's long overdue."

MORE RAIDERS NEWS

Raiders winger Jordan Rapana put Tapine's emergence this season as the best big man in rugby league to him maturing as a player, a person and a leader.

The pair both starred for New Zealand in their win over Tonga in Auckland last weekend.

Rapana also backed five-eighth Jack Wighton to stake a claim for a NSW Blues jersey against the Dragons.

Rapana, who has played 12 Tests for New Zealand, said Wighton was built for State of Origin and pointed to his performance in the series opener when he was the Blues' best player.

"That's a given for Jack. He puts his heart and soul in every game," Rapana said.

"I know this week is going to be no different and if anyone deserves that spot there it's him.

"He was the shining light in their first game in a losing side. If there's one game he's built for it's Origin.

"We all know the defender he is, the versatility and positions he can cover. I guess if I was Brad Fittler he'd be my first choice."

NRL ROUND 16

Sunday: St George Illawarra Dragons v Canberra Raiders at Wollongong, 4pm.

Raiders squad: 1. Xavier Savage, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Matt Timoko, 4. Sebastian Kris, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Jack Wighton, 7. Jamal Fogarty, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Zac Woolford, 10. Joe Tapine, 11. Hudson Young, 12. Elliott Whitehead (c), 13. Adam Elliott. Interchange: 14. Tom Starling, 15. Ryan Sutton, 16. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 17. Corey Horsburgh. Reserves: 18. Matt Frawley, 20. Trey Mooney.

Dragons squad: 1. Cody Ramsey, 2. Mat Feagai, 3. Moses Suli, 4. Zac Lomax, 5. Mikaele Ravalawa, 6. Talatau Amone, 7. Ben Hunt (c), 8. Jack de Belin, 9. Andrew McCullough, 10. Blake Lawrie, 11. Jack Bird, 12. Jayden Su'a, 13.Tariq Sims. Interchange: 14. Moses Mbye, 15. Frances Molo. 16. Aaron Woods, 17. Michael Molo. Reserves: 20. Jayden Sullivan, 21. Jaiyden Hunt.

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