NRL: How Joe Tapine has 'changed dramatically' with the Canberra Raiders

Last season Joe Tapine rode a rollercoaster of ups and downs.

He suffered knee and ankle injuries, was dropped due to form, played at lock, prop and off the bench before finding his groove later in the season, and his wife criticised Ricky Stuart on social media, prompting the coach to deny rumours of a rift with the forward.

All while the Raiders stumbled to 10th on the ladder.

Fast forward to this season, and Tapine is a Mal Meninga Medal winner, in career-best form, fresh off a finals charge, and will continue to lead the Raiders pack for the next five years after a multi-million dollar extension.

"You don't learn without those hard times, and even with the little stink me and Stick had, it grew our relationship in the long term, and made us more open to each other and really helped us," Tapine said.

Despite those hurdles last season, Tapine was building to something extraordinary, and he did just that in 2022.

He doubled his offloads, nearly doubled his total run metres and post-contact metres, and increased his average to 160 metres per game.

Stuart and the Raiders have played a big role in bringing out the best in Tapine, as well as his leadership qualities, but he doesn't plan on "getting comfortable".

"You've got to still try and take criticism and grow. There's a lot of praise, but I want to be consistent and be known as that guy that keeps going," the 28-year-old said.

"I've changed dramatically as a person and as a player since I moved down here," Tapine added.

"I wouldn't have even told you I'd be a leader back in 2016. And to be in the position I am now, is very humbling.

"I've had a lot of opportunities here to grow.

"I've been put into that leadership group and pushed to be a better person, a better player, and it's really helped me and my character."

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