While his best mate Anthony Milford may donned the Brisbane Broncos jersey for the first time on Saturday, Canberra star Josh Papalii insists he won't desert the Green Machine.

Papalii said he was comfortable in Canberra and had no intention of following former teammate Milford north, despite his parents moving back home to Brisbane in November.

The back-rower's safety net has effectively been taken out from underneath him as he adjusts to life as a father to four-month-old daughter Khalani-Rose.

The hearts of Canberra fans would have sunk as they watched Milford weave his magic in his Broncos debut at the Auckland Nines, but Papalii assured them he was going nowhere.

Canberra nearly lost the Queensland and Australia representative when he signed a three-year deal with Parramatta late in 2013, only to backflip and re-sign with the Raiders until the end of 2016.

Milford and Papalii were nurtured and developed by Canberra from an early age after their talents were spotted by Souths Logan scouts in Brisbane.

While he is extremely close to his family, his parents' departure has forced him to "grow up" and he believes he can handle being a parent without their help.

Milford's main reason for leaving was to be with his ill father, but Papalii insisted his circumstances differed from those of the precocious 20-year-old.

"I've got my own family now, I'm a bit different to what Tony had to go through," Papalii said.

"I've been down here for seven years now, I love it down here and am very comfortable.

"I have settled down and I see myself a Raider for life ... if I could stay her for another 10 [years] I would, but half of that choice is up to the club and hopefully I can play well."

Papalii's words will come as a relief to Canberra, which has struggled to attract big names to the club and the 20-year-old is its only established representative player.

He said his partner, Sepasalesa, had been his rock as he dealt with increased responsibility on and off the field.

"I guess it changes you into a man and you a mature a bit more than usual," he said.

"It [fatherhood] teaches you a few things on the way, I'm responsible for another life now and it teaches you values you never had.

"Watching the missus give birth to the little one was the higlight of my life, and something I'll remember for a very long time.

"She's something I've run back to and sulked about things which didn't go our family's way, and she's always stayed positive."

Papalii lost his Maroons jersey after Origin I last year, but he insisted he was ready to return to his best, with fatigue after last year's World Cup and an ankle injury ensuring a slow start to last season.

He also battled to lift mentally for games as his younger brother John awaits sentence over armed robbery charges.

At one point Papalii even played a Queensland Cup game with Souths Logan in a desperate attempt to impress Queensland coach Mal Meninga.

"Johnny's going good, he's got another court case coming up in six months. I've just go to focus and play some good footy," Papalii said.

"It was never an excuse for me to play bad. That's no excuse and I don't intend doing that. You've just got to put those things aside and play well.

"It definitely was hard, but having a good coach like Sticky [Ricky Stuart] around [helps], and the club being there for you.

"That's what this club is about, it's all about family. Whatever my family's going through the boys will find out and chip in and help."