Cop Lose Case to Canberra Raiders Hard-Man, Josh Papalii

It seems yet again the law has been out-foxed by the team in lime green. Canberra Raiders hard-man Josh Papalii has had the court proceedings against him adjourned after his legal team flagged a serious disclosure issue in the case brought by the Australian Federal Police / ACT Policing.

Papalii, a stalwart of the Canberra Raiders and a legend of the game, stands accused of throwing glasses at staff and verbally threatening police during an incident at the Raiders Club in Gungahlin in September 2024. But it is not the alleged offence alone that is in the spotlight — it is how the investigation was conducted. His lawyers claim officers involved in the case used the encrypted messaging app Signal to coordinate or discuss the investigation behind the scenes — something they argue could amount to an abuse of process.

The result? The hearing that was set to span three days was pushed back, meaning the prosecution must now regroup. And in doing so, one might reflect that the Raiders players seem remarkably unphased by legal ping-pong — a pattern, perhaps, not to be ignored.

This brings the mind back to previous off-field controversies involving NRL players: the Curtis Scott Australia Day arrest in 2021, the accusations against Tom Starling at Avoca Beach in the same year, and the incidents involving Jack Wighton and Latrell Mitchell.

In each case, police or leagues officials faced an uphill task wrangling public perception and legal process — and each time the athletes or clubs emerged with more time, more resources, and more resilience.

It begs the question: are these not just isolated incidents but a systemic reflection of how elite sport and law enforcement interact in Australia? The Raiders may well be a ‘tough’ football team to beat on the field — now it appears they’re proving to be equally tenacious off it.

If the legal machinery isn’t operating with flawless discipline, the players’ legal defences gain precious leverage. In Papalii’s case, the undisclosed Signal group chat involving investigating officers raises legitimate concern about disclosure and fairness.

Ultimately, if the AFP (or ACT Policing) wishes to be taken seriously as a deterrent and enforcer of off-field conduct, the message must be consistent: no superstar status grants exemption from process, and no shortcuts in investigation can be tolerated. The Raiders know how to win.

On the public stage the police haven’t quite matched that rigour. And in the intersection of sport, fame and law, the outcome often skews favourably to the athlete unless the system plays flawlessly.

In Canberra, at least for now, the clock ticks — and Papalii remains in limbo. The courts adjourned; the cops must regroup. The Raiders sit by, quietly confident.