Rapira's an important part of the Machine.
At one time he was the best prop in the NRL ( the world Johns and Fittler used to enjoy saying ).
Those Injuries , more the way they came one on top of another take a lot of mental fortitude to come back from......players like Tate get praised for it.....players like Rapira not so much.
No player comes back from that the same.
Key things that separate Rapira from the other props :
Rapira is the best Marker defender by some distance , people overlook his sprinting out of marker to chop runners down at the boot laces....have a look at how he makes desperate dives for a prop. That's a defensive attitude thing.
Rapira is the most experienced , he's never been sullied by off field issues that other local players can be prone too , he's never believed his own hype.
Rapira does the dirty runs. The unglamorous hit up when the opposition defence is set and meters are not the end Game. A fast play the ball is ( Rapira has the fastest play the ball of all of our Props. Every team needs a balance of grunt props ( smaller guys who will get up faster and offset tackles 2,3,4,5 by getting the roll on ).
Props who run from deep ( Lillyman / Matangi ) get the glory stats.
If you think about how the Melbourne Storm try to win tackle one and slow the play the ball , they will risk penalties to stop people like Rapira making it hard work for them to reset for the rest of the defensive set.
Pleased to see Gub back. Young'uns are always going to do stupid things. Looking at where perseverance with Seb Ikahihifo and Sione Louisi is getting us now.....Depth man....serious depth.....good times...good times....
