BOMBSHELL ANNOUNCEMENT: Canbera raiders fans React shock as Superstar Joseph Tanpine Officially divorced with his wife Kirsten Stanton and explain his decision….see more

The news this week that Joseph Tapine — the influential forward and captain for the Canberra Raiders — and his long-time wife Kirsten Stanton have legally gone their separate ways has sent waves through the NRL world and the Canberra fan base. Reports indicate that the couple have formally divorced, a development that many supporters did not see coming.

Within the club’s history and Tapine’s personal narrative, Kirsten has been portrayed as a cornerstone of his off-field life: as partner, cultural supporter and mother to their daughter. For many Raiders fans, this represents a significant personal change for one of their key leaders.

The back-story: their life together

Joseph and Kirsten married in 2019, shortly after Tapine’s appearance in the NRL Grand Final with the Raiders.
Kirsten, a proud Gamilaroi woman from northern NSW, and Tapine, a New Zealand-born forward of Māori heritage, created a family environment that emphasised both Indigenous and Māori culture.
Kirsten was often credited with stabilising Tapine when his life off the field was less settled — for example, when he struggled with gambling and alcohol early in his career.

Their daughter, Ilua, is also frequently mentioned in media pieces about Tapine as a key motivating factor in his leadership and personal growth. The announcement & the “why”

As of now, there is no detailed public statement available from Tapine or Kirsten explaining exactly what led to the breakdown of their marriage. That said, based on available evidence and interviews, a few factors help paint a broader picture:

• Tapine’s transformation in recent years has been significant: from a young, physically talented player with off-field distractions to a mature leader of his club and culture.
• The heavy stresses of professional sport — injuries, leadership roles, relocation, constant public scrutiny — often place relationships under strain.
• Tapine himself has been transparent about confronting personal challenges (such as gambling) and the role Kirsten played in that recovery.
• It may be that over time, separate goals, cultural pressures, or simply shifts in priorities have made the two members of the partnership move in different directions.

In short: while the precise reason for the divorce remains private, the signs suggest a combination of growing personal/career demands, evolving identities, and perhaps the recognition that the best future path for each may now be apart.

Fan reactions & broader implications

For Raiders fans, the announcement is a mixed bag of emotions:

• On one hand, there is empathy and respect for Tapine’s right to manage his personal life and make decisions that best serve his family and himself.
• On the other hand, seeing a club leader undergo a major personal life change can feel unsettling: leadership stability, image, team culture and off-field grounding all cross over into on-field performance indirectly.
• Media and social-media commentary will inevitably pick at whether this divorce might affect Tapine’s focus, emotional state or club relationships — whether fairly or not.

From a club perspective, the Raiders will need to ensure they support Tapine appropriately off the field (as they do many top players through personal life changes) so that his performance, wellbeing and leadership remain strong.

What this means for Tapine moving forward

• Personal growth: Tapine has shown in recent years that he is capable of self-reflection and change — this moment may mark another such turning point.
• Club role: As captain and a senior player, how he handles this life change publicly and privately may further define his leadership — showing vulnerability, resilience and authenticity could strengthen his standing.
• Family considerations: While Kirsten and Tapine may no longer be a married couple, their shared parenting of Ilua and maintaining cultural identity will likely stay central to Tapine’s off-field agenda.
• Professional performance: Divorce is a major life event; how Tapine’s emotional and mental health fare in its wake may have ripple effects into his physical peak, training consistency and match focus.

Final thought

The news that Joseph Tapine and Kirsten Stanton have divorced is indeed a “bombshell” moment for many Raiders supporters — but it is also a human moment: two people growing and changing, making difficult decisions, navigating life beyond the game. How Tapine steers himself through this chapter will tell us much about his character, both as a player and a man.