He also managed 47 offloads, an amount exceeded by just two other players.
Tapine was named in the Dally M team of the year, voted the Raiders’ best player and recognised as one of the best middle forwards in the sport.
“I feel like when I was younger, I wasn’t really consistent with my preparations and stuff and when you get older you have to knuckle down and it shows on the field,” Tapine told the Weekend Herald. “But this year it is about me being consistent and taking it to another level too. I don’t want to just have that one good season and fall away; I want to be consistent and step up as a leader as well.”
Tapine is aware of the increased focus that will come – several pundits have already labelled him as possibly the best prop in the NRL – while he recently inked a lucrative four year extension at Canberra.
“It’s up to the individual, how you take it,” explained Tapine. “I try to block a lot of that out and focus on my inner circle, who give me a lot of confidence. When they say something, I listen. [Whereas] outside noise is just that and I have to stay true to who I am.”
Ahead of his 10th NRL campaign, Tapine gets a chance for an early impression against the Indigenous All Stars, part of a powerful pack alongside James Fisher-Harris, Briton Nikora and Jordan Riki.
He was man of the match in last year’s 16-10 victory in Sydney, which was a springboard for a stellar club season.
“It gave me a lot of confidence,” said Tapine. “Last year was huge for me and I credit a lot of it to how I started in the Māori’s game.”
Saturday’s game has been affected by a raft of withdrawals – from both teams – due to injuries and other issues, which has lessened the lustre of the first All Stars match held in this country.
After a compressed off season – due to the World Cup - Tapine admits “the body was a bit fatigued” a few weeks ago but his participation was never in doubt.
“It’s a game that’s hard to miss,” said Tapine. “You don’t want to pull out. You always want to turn up when you get the chance. You are going to look back when you are old and remember that you played for your people and every time you put your hand up.”
“It means a lot. I represent my family and my culture. Me and Fish (Fisher-Harris) were talking about it this week – we don’t take that for granted. That’s why we put our hands up straight away.”
Tapine has particularly relished being home and the buildup in the geothermal city, with the tight knit Maori squad.
“We have been engaging a lot culturally, which is beautiful,” said Tapine. “There is so much culture around this place...when you come back it’s like a little injection of culture into the veins.”
Tapine is also aware of the importance of more matches here, especially after three years of no elite league in this country.
“We need to promote the game,” said Tapine. “Obviously rugby union is huge in New Zealand and we want to grow the game of rugby league because we have so much talent here, untapped.”
The 28-year-old enjoyed his break – spending a couple of weeks back home in the capital with his wife – but admits the manner of the Kiwis World Cup exit still burns, with the narrow semi-final loss to Australia. “It still sits in your mind but after stuff like that you have to try and clear the head,” said Tapine. “We were so close and our team was high cailbre and that doesn’t happen all the time. It was a big disappointment to all of us.”
But 2023 is a new start, which begins on Saturday.
It will be Tapine’s fourth appearance in the pre-season showpiece, after a 34-14 loss in 2019, a 10-10 draw in 2021 and last year’s victory.
Though it is a festival occasion, there is no doubt about the mindset.
“It’s very serious,” said Tapine. “You never take playing for your culture lightly. It’s the top, the pinnacle. With that emotion, when you go out in front of your people and play for them it’s a different buzz. There’s a lot of pride in both cultures.”
