'Unfinished business': Rapana set to sign new Raiders deal

Raiders fan favourite Jordan Rapana is poised to ink a two-year extension to keep him in lime green, vowing to stay with Canberra until he helps deliver the NRL title he so nearly won 12 months ago.

Rapana was "pretty disheartened and gutted" to leave the Raiders after last year's grand final loss to the Roosters, coincidentally their semi-final opponents this Friday at the SCG.

But after the COVID-19 pandemic cut short a stint in Japanese rugby, the 31-year-old is set to convert his original six-month deal with Canberra into another two seasons in the nation's capital.

NRL.com understands Rapana's re-signing is in the final stages of being negotiated after he fielded interest from Wests Tigers.

Rapana was also offered up to Melbourne as a replacement option to break the impasse around Josh Addo-Carr's own prospective move to Concord.

But having made his name with Canberra after becoming a regular in highlight reels since 2014, Rapana can see himself in no other colours.

"My manager's speaking to Sticky [coach Ricky Stuart] and Sticky's spoken to me and told me I'm a part of his plans," Rapana told NRL.com on Monday.

"So we're just sorting that out at the minute. I have no intentions of going anywhere else put it that way.

"I love it here, this is where I want to be and we've got unfinished business here.

"Until we get that business right, I'm going nowhere.

"It still hurts me losing that grand final. Being in a grand final was unreal but losing it will always be hard to swallow. Until I can walk away with a premiership with this group of boys that you walk in with – that's the ultimate goal."

Rapana and his partner Kelsey are expecting their first child in six weeks, with her own local roots and Canberra-based family only adding to the appeal of a Raiders return earlier this year.

He has proven to be Stuart's backline bailout throughout 2020, playing on the wing, at fullback, off the bench and for the past three weeks at centre.

It's a role that will line him up on Roosters veteran Josh Morris and arguably the most potent left edge in the Telstra Premiership, with Luke Keary, Boyd Cordner and Daniel Tupou all in tow.

Rapana is more than happy with Canberra's own artillery in Englishmen George Williams and John Bateman inside him and Nick Cotric on his flank.

Provided Bateman doesn't do too much talking.

"Luckily I can understand George pretty well," Rapana said.

"I still can't understand John and it's been two years [playing with him]. Luckily I've got George directly next to me. He's the translator.

"In attack he'll call a play and you just look at [Bateman]. 'What did you just try to say?'

"We've had to narrow it down to two or three plays with him. As soon as he tries to chuck in anything too out there, it goes to s....

"So we stick with a couple of plays, we get the nod and away we go.

"Obviously we still get by because Johnny's a very, very good player. He'll take on anyone and anything, blokes twice his size and he won't even blink. He's such a competitor.

"I love playing with him, but man, there are times I can't understand him."