Canberra winger Jordan Rapana may be forced to take a cut-price deal to stay with the Raiders as the club reportedly faces salary cap constraints.

The off-contract Rapana, who is reportedly on around $500,000 at the moment, turned down an offer from Canberra earlier in the season and the Raiders have since doled out cash to other players.

The New Zealand international's stocks have taken a slight hit after he rejected the initial proposal, battling multiple injuries while struggling to replicate the dazzling try-scoring feats he's become known for.

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And with the season already more than halfway through, Rapana is in a "difficult spot" according to The Australian's Brent Read.

"There was an offer made to him. It was a pretty good offer and at the time they sort of hesitated, the Rapana camp," Read told Sporting News​.

"And since then you've had Jack Wighton play Origin, Nick Cotric play Origin and they've upgraded kids like Corey Horsburgh.

"And when Wighton and Cotric played Origin, they got Origin bonuses in their contract.

"So there's been a squeeze on the salary cap.

"I think because Rapana didn't take that deal, maybe there's not as much money as there was when the deal was initially offered to him.

"That's the sticking point at the moment."

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Although the Raiders have a desire to retain Rapana, 29, paying him more than the half-a-million he's said to be currently receiving seems out of the question.

But with Rapana settled in the nation's capital and a dearth of other NRL options on the table, Read thinks he could re-sign.

"Look, they want to keep him – they love Jordan Rapana," Read said.

"He's a good player, he's a good fella from all reports and he's a good bloke to have around the club. They're still hopeful they'll get a deal done on that front but money's tight now.

"Particularly with Wighton and Cotric playing Origin – those Origin bonuses, they're generally around the $30,000 mark or so.

"You're looking at $60,000 off their cap there and it's just put the squeeze on.

"There was a bit of talk about rugby union early on but I don't think Jordan Rapana wants to go to rugby; I think he wants to play rugby league and I think he wants to be in Canberra.

"[But] he's in a pretty difficult spot."