Eels Veteran's Future Remains in Doubt

Junior Paulo, a seasoned player for the Parramatta Eels, has expressed a strong desire to continue his journey with the club where he began his NRL career back in 2013.

However, the 32-year-old prop finds himself without a contract for the upcoming season, and has yet to finalize an extension that would keep him in the western part of Sydney.

Recently, Paulo underwent arthroscopic knee surgery to address an issue that had been troubling him for weeks, a situation the Eels officially acknowledged in late May.

This procedure has hindered his ability to demonstrate readiness to return for next season, as he currently awaits his return, scheduled for Round 21.

Recent updates from Code Sports indicate that Paulo has stepped back from contract discussions, choosing to concentrate on his recovery to return on time.

"That's something between my manager and the club at the moment," Paulo commented to Code Sports regarding his contract status.

"I want to be able to stick around if I'm wanted. But, that's something that's sort of I'm just leaving up to my manager for now."

Despite a lengthy tenure with the Eels and a brief 55-game period at the Raiders from 2016 to 2018, Paulo's future in Parramatta appears uncertain.

The club is currently witnessing the rise of talented young forwards like Toni Mataele, Teancum Brown, Saxon Pryke, and Sam Tuivaiti, all of whom have made their marks in the first-grade squad over the last two seasons.