Changing of the Raiders leadership guard in Canberra

The powerful Raiders prop said there hadn't been much discussion around the captaincy yet and Elliott Whitehead might lead the Green Machine on his own for the 2024 NRL season.

The Raiders have had co-captains since 2019, when Josh Hodgson was elevated to the role alongside Jarrod Croker.

Whitehead then took over from Hodgson, with Croker retiring at the end of last season.

That's left Whitehead alone in the role - something he's effectively already done at times when Croker was battling shoulder and knee injuries - and Raiders coach Ricky Stuart could simply opt to go with the England great in a standalone role.

Having arrived in Canberra as a quiet, young man, Tapine's been working on his leadership with the goal of becoming Raiders captain one day.

He's captained the Maori All Stars and was part of the Green Machine's leadership group.

The 29-year-old said there were still areas of leadership he needed to work on, but he would step up to a co-captaincy role if required.

"I've made my intention known that I want to captain the club. I haven't heard much yet so maybe this year it might just be 'Smell'," Tapine said.

"But I'm happy to sit back and just keep learning. There's a lot of strengths and weaknesses I have to work on as well.

"I'm happy to learn as I go. If we go in that direction, we go in that direction."

It's been a changing of the leadership guard in Canberra in recent years, which was why Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has put a focus on development in that area.

Hodgson left for Parramatta, Sia Soliola and Croker retired, while Jack Wighton moved to South Sydney.

That's opened the door for young leaders to emerge - like Hudson Young, Tom Starling and Corey Horsburgh.

Horsburgh admitted leadership didn't come naturally to him, with the larrikin Queenslander sometimes taking over - or as Horsburgh put it himself, he acts like a "bit of an idiot".

But he said it was important the middle-aged players like himself, Young and Emre Guler started to lead the way for the young guns coming through.

"It's been different. Over the years we've lost Hodgey, Sia, [Croker], Jackie - they're all big leaders," Horsburgh said.

"Now we're seeing the new crop of leaders like Hudson and Tom Starling, myself - when I've got my head together. It's been good.

"We've been going in a new way now. We have to learn to lead and realise we're leading the young fellas now.

"It's different times now, but it's exciting."

Horsburgh admitted to be something of a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde when it came to leadership.

It came naturally on the field, but off it was a different case.

"I wouldn't say off the field [it comes naturally]," he said.

"I'm more of a leader when it comes to footy stuff, but I can be a bit of an idiot off the field so I've got to find that balance between being a funny fellow and being serious.

"I need to straighten up the off-field stuff, but the footy stuff I'm fine."

Tapine's also pushing himself to become the best prop in the game.

It's the same goal his fellow front-rower Josh Papali'i set himself for the upcoming season.

They're both good mates off the field and Tapine will use their camaraderie to help make his own goal come true.

"That's what makes people better," said.

"Train with the best and if you want to be the best you have to train better and play better than them.

"Me and 'Paps', our friendship is so close and that competitiveness will be the same - we don't take it personal.

"Him trying to be the best is pushing me to be the best as well."