Last Friday, Junior Paulo etched his name into club history as the tenth most capped Eel of all time. It speaks to his endurance and resilience over 13 seasons.
At nearly 32, many wondered if Junior was a spent force over the last few seasons. Instead, 2025 is his renaissance. He dropped weight in the off-season and is averaging around 60 minutes per game, more than at any point in his career. It’s a reminder why Ryles and the club kept faith in the former captain despite tough calls on senior players like King Gutho, RCG, Maiko Sivo, Joe Ofahengaue, Dylan Brown, Matterson, and Shaun Lane. Ryles was prepared to let them go, even if it hit the cap, in one of the biggest cleanouts seen in some time at the Eels and it left many perplexed.
Paulo’s milestone hasn’t stood alone. Last week, speedster Josh “The Fox” Addo-Carr marked his 200th NRL game and scored his 150th try back in round 21. Four more tries and he enters the top ten all-time scorers. Like Paulo, he slimmed down and has had a career resurgence where no other club was prepared to take a punt on him. It's no accident Sean Russell is having his best season to date inside him. The Fox has shown nous, anticipation, and an on-and-off field voice and leadership.
Two weeks ago, Dylan Walker, soon 31, reached 250 games in his 13th season. One premiership. Two Blues jerseys. Four Kangaroos caps. His signing puzzled some fans, but he’s proving why Shaun Johnson highly rates his footy nous. He has simplified Hopgood’s game by taking over the Link-Man role at lock, freeing Hopgood to shine at prop as he did last week with 80 minutes, 61 tackles, and just one miss.
This week, Wil Penisini, 23, hits 100 NRL appearances.
Importantly, these milestones have come with results. Wins in 4 of the last 6 including gritty wins over heavyweight final contenders: the Warriors, Roosters, and Broncos. After a poor start to the year and struggles, the team chocablock full of rookies and sprinkling of heavy experience is finally learning to grind out victories.
The milestones feel less like individual achievements and more like evidence the Eels might be building something. Something that's been missing for as long as I remember. Even in their standout 2022 season of thirteen years they were vulnerable. Less Jeckyll-Hyde, more Sybil's sixteen multiple personalities. Even Mitchell Moses admitted they were up and down then, and essentially just content and surprised to make the grand final.
The Eels don’t have billionaire sugar daddies or Hollywood stars and players to thrill fans and make them dance with bells and whistles. But they are beginning to show something harder to buy. Resilience. Symbolic of Jason Ryles’ and the squad’s off-season commitment to Kaizen: The relentless pursuit of improvement. For the team. The jersery. The Club. Themselves. As players and people.
It’s early days but it's a trajectory worth believing in and not giving up on. Legacies is something Nick Politis talks about regularly. Something few have managed this century outside the Storm, the Panthers dynasty, and Roosters. But only if the work never stops. Not in victory. Not in loss.
Milestone Tracker, R19-27, 2025
| Junior Paulo | 200th NRL Game for Eels | R19 vs Panthers. Loss 32–10, Commbank |
| 10th Most Capped Eel | R26 vs Warriors. Win 26–22, Commbank | |
| The Fox | 200th NRL Game | R26 vs Warriors. Win 26–22, Commbank |
| 150th Try | R21 vs Broncos. Win 22–20, Suncorp | |
| Fastest Speed of Season | R23 vs Cowboys. Win 19–18, Commbank | |
| Dylan Walker | 250th NRL Game | R25 vs Roosters. Win 30–10 at Commbank Stadium. |
| Will Penisini | 100th NRL Game | R27 vs Knights. Result TBD (final round) |
Replies
Congrats Junior. He is like The Bear reincarnate but not quite. A lot like Ericson was "Sparrow" (not quite the Crow), I am surprised that Junior hasn't got a nickname like "Grizzly" (not quite the big brown Bear)
Great article HOE. Very enjoyable reading. You can feel that something is brewing, a lot like 1975. The rebuild is on. A couple of astutue signings for next year and we are top 4. Semi and Marky Mark would do just fine thank you.
Would love to see a "where are they now" article, going back to our earliest players.
lol Grizzley I like it
Thanks, PT.
Ray Price’s Face to Face interview last year was vintage Mr Perpetual Motion. Plenty of nuggets.
On losing the two grand finals in 1975-76 Price said: “We missed one thing. And Jack taught us that one thing… He showed us how to win. Teaching us, don’t just look at it and think that’s going to happen. Create something and force them to do something different.”
"He just comes up with all these sayings," he added. Gibson’s genius was undeniable. Innovative, quirky, obsessed with reading and learning. A true teacher.
Price also credited Ron Massey as the brains alongside him: “I don’t know how we didn’t win more competitions.”
But Gibson also made hard calls. Instead of sticking with iron men like Price or Ray Higgs as captain, he turned to Steven Edge for three years and three titles. Calm. Composed. Glue. If Price was whiskey straight and a punch in the head, Edge was well-aged red wine.
Then came Price's sting on "greedy" modern players: “Some are getting huge amounts of money, but they’re not worth a pinch of shit. Excuse my French.”
Price also nailed what separated the 80s Eels from the rest: “I see those guys every year. We’ve had a reunion since that Grand Final in 1986. That’s the difference between a good side and a great side.” A brotherhood of warriors, bound by belief in each other, the jersey, and the coach.
The big difference today? Gibson came in 81, and inherited a galaxy of stars. The 1975 rebuild was done by others. Jason Ryles is rebuilding from pre-1975, not 1981. Ryles is building from the ground up from pre-1975. Also captain Mitchell Moses, is a fiery contrast to Edge’s cool head. It makes for an incredible story.
Timelines
Early 70s: Two, almost three spoons.
Mid 70s: The rise started.
1975-1986: Golden Era. 4 titles. 7 Grand Finals. Star-studded team.
NSWRFL 1956 10th Wooden Spoon
NSWRFL 1957 10th Wooden Spoon
NSWRFL 1958 10th Wooden Spoon
NSWRFL 1959 10th Wooden Spoon
NSWRFL 1960 10th Wooden Spoon
NSWRFL 1961 10th Wooden Spoon
NSWRFL 1962 4th Minor Semi
NSWRFL 1963 4th Prelim Final
NSWRFL 1964 2nd Prelim Final
NSWRFL 1965 3rd Minor Semi
NSWRFL 1966 6th
NSWRFL 1967 9th
NSWRFL 1968 6th
NSWRFL 1969 5th
NSWRFL 1970 12th Wooden Spoon
NSWRFL 1971 4th Minor Semi
NSWRFL 1972 12th Wooden Spoon
NSWRFL 1973 11th
NSWRFL 1974 11th
NSWRFL 1975 5th Minor Semi
Terry Fearnley
NSWRFL 1976 2nd Runners Up
NSWRFL 1977 1st Runners Up
NSWRFL 1978 4th Minor Semi Final Replay
NSWRFL 1979 2nd Prelim Final
John Peard
NSWRFL 1980 6th
Jack Gibson
NSWRFL 1981 3rd Premiers
NSWRFL 1982 1st Premiers
NSWRFL 1983 2nd Premiers
John Monie
NSWRL 1984 2nd Runners Up
NSWRL 1985 4th Prelim Final
NSWRL 1986 1st Premiers
Player/Coach Timelines
Coach: Terry Fearnley (1976-79)
Bob O'Reilly, The Bear, 18-33 (1967-75, 80-82)
Ron Hilditch, 22-30 (1975-83)
Greame Atkins, 20-32 (1975-87)
Ray Price, 23-33 from RU (1976-86)
Mick Cronin, 26-35 (1977-86)
Peter Sterling, 18-32 (1978-92)
Eric Grothe Snr, 19-29 (1979-89)
Steve Ella, 19-28 (1979-88)
Peter Wynn, 23-33 (1979-90)
Neil Hunt, 19-27 (1979-87)
Steve Sharp, mobile, 22-33 (1979-90)
Coach: John Peard (1980)
John Muggleton, 20-29 from Balmain (1980-89)
Brett Kenny, 19-32 (1980-93)
Steven Edge, 29-33 from Saints (1980-84)
Coach: Jack Gibson (1981-83)
Paul Taylor, 22-30 (1981-89)
Tony Melrose, from RU, centre, six, utility 21-22 (1980-81, 20 games)
Kevin Steven, wily half, from Roosters (8yrs), 28 (1981)
Steve McKenzie, fullback, 27-28 (1981-82)
When you look at that list, it's a huge achievement for Junior to be in it with our club legends. It's a shame we lost him for a couple of years at Canberra.
He's been huge this year, hoping he has another next year for us. Congrats Junz.
Home Is Where the Heart Is Song by Elvis Presley ‧ 1962 - Jr is in career best form, it only happens in the right environment, expecting a huge win this Sunday. Great way to end the season, but if the Knights cause an upset it is what it is.
What a great read HOE, nice one mate.
Congrats Junior well played sir, what a turnaround that has come from commitment and great work by our coach with junior and all our players in general.
I am looking forward to next year as I have not for a long long time.
Going out on a limb to predict we make the top 4 next year and we challenge for the trophy in October.
I believe we have the players and definitely the coach to do it ( maybe throw in a big forward to dent the line and a classy centre) we will be has dangerous as the best.
As long as Lady Luck looks after us regarding injuries and we can contain the suspension side of things, why not!!
Thanks, Neegan. Good to see you posting mate.
Sure, injuries and luck will play a part, but we also have to make our luck!
It's a weird competition these days, so there's plenty of opportunties. Look at the favorites Storm over the last two weeks. Bashed by the Roosters and Broncos. Two teams we recently beat. Impossible to be mentally up every week. It's a strange, strange game. The footy gods are well entertained!
Australia's real GDP grew by 1.8% over the year to the June quarter 2025, with 0.6% growth in the June quarter itself, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics
What would you know haha some positive news.
Dont comment Ploppa economics is not on your wheelhouse! Lol
(ABS). Growth was driven by household consumption and government spending, though public investment was a drag, while the Reserve Bank of Australia forecasts 3.3% average annual growth for the 2025 calendar year in its August 2025 Monetary Policy Statement.
Does this read like a creepy post?? Lol muttman ?? Haha how would $100 be paying for the Eels to landing in 10th position? You would have Made money.Facts.
hopefully his son is locked away on a contract soon