Canberra fullback Jordan Rapana says there is a simple reason why he was able to kick two clutch field goals to beat the Dolphins 26-25, even though he'd never landed any previously in a 209-game NRL: career.
"You can't take away from competitiveness, effort and enthusiasm. I pride myself on that," Rapana told AAP. "It was just another day at the office for me."
Rapana's first field goal in the 78th minute levelled the scores and took the game into golden point. His second, in the 88th, won the match.
Young halfback Kaeo Weekes had a shot at a two-point field goal two win the game in normal time before Rapana took over.
"Jordan, he's an unbelievable competitor," Raiders coach Ricky Stuart.
Rapana explained his thinking: "I have always enjoyed hitting field goals at training, just mucking around, but I have been behind good halves. Aidan Sezer was clutch when he was here and Jamal Fogarty is just as good," he said.
"Kaeo had an opportunity and maybe his confidence was down after the first one he missed. He asked me if I would take the next one and I said, 'yeah'.
"I can make 10 errors and still keep my head where I know a lot of other players can go into their shell. I got lucky with the last field goal. It touched someone's hand and it guided it over."
Raiders skipper Elliott Whitehead said he admired Rapana's free-wheeling attitude. "He never gives up and he showed that again," he said.
"They were big plays for us. He probably didn't care what Sticky was going to think if he missed them, he just stepped up and slotted them."
Rapana continues to thrive into his mid-30s. "I have been playing the game for so long. I like to compete and never give up on any play," he said.
"That has got me to 34 years of age and still playing fullback at the top level. There aren't too many fullbacks over 30."
Stuart would not swap him for the world. "It's getting harder and harder for him, but he just keeps putting his body on the line and keeps turning up at the right time," he said.
"His instinct is second to none. He has lost a bit of speed with age. It comes from the heart."
