Raiders have the edge with Leilua

JOEY Leilua’s lethal combination with Jordan Rapana is set to terrorise NRL defences for at least two more seasons after the damaging centre re-signed with Canberra until the end of 2020.

Leilua was not off contract until next year but decided to commit early to the Raiders with a two-year extension, while Rapana signed until the end of 2019 earlier in the season.

Their right-edge partnership – dubbed Leipana – is Canberra’s most potent attacking weapon, with 20 tries between them this season.

“Rapa and me are going to be sticking around for another couple of years and it’s exciting for the fans and ourselves that there’s a lot of potential in the team,” Leilua said.

Canberra have been able to escape the chaos around the transfer market this season, locking in some of their most important players including fullback Jack Wighton who resigned until 2020 last month.

Leilua’s signature comes as a boost for the ninth-placed Raiders ahead of a crucial test against Penrith, who sit one spot below them on the ladder, in Bathurst on Saturday.