Parramatta Eels front-rower Junior Paulo continues a contract standoff with the Parramatta Eels after losing the Perth Bears deal.Contract talks collapsed between Paulo and the Bears in August after his management asked for a two-year deal at $900,000 per season.
This led the Western Australian-based club to pursue Corey Horsburgh from the Canberra Raiders after he had a falling out with Ricky Stuart.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that a deal has been offered to extend with the Parramatta Eels.
Parramatta have offered Junior Paulo $650,000 per season, which still doesn't meet his expectations.
Paulo missed most of the season after having minor knee surgery.
There had been whispers that Super League clubs believed Paulo was available for the 2027 season, according to The Daily Telegraph.
"Junior is super important for us in terms of experience in the middle third of the field; we are quite young there," Jason Ryles said at the end of the season about closing Paulo on a new deal.
If Paulo stays at Parramatta, he will join his co-captain at international level, Jarome Luai, who is heading to the Eels in a 12-month stopgap deal for 2027.
Another Samoan star, Jaydn Su'A, will also arrive at the club on a three-year deal from the St George Illawarra Dragons.
It is likely that at this stage, Paulo will remain at Parramatta; however, money is a major factor for the 32-year-old in his next year.
Replies
"Paulo must still have some value if there still offering a contract"
Yeah he MUST , I can even help you with this query you have , the value to us is $650k lol. It's literally in the OPs blog 😂.
Hope this helps you work out how much value he must have ...
Paulo is a shadow of what he once was and is getting worse each year. He looks like he hates the collision these days. Sadly that is what he would display if kept around as a leader for our pack for others to follow. Sam T already seems to follow in his footsteps with a short run, almost flat footed when taking the ball up.
paulo also fails to chase kicks and barely moves up in defence most of the time leaving holes in the line. Not what you want from the leader of your pack.
Our defence was much improved when he was out injured.
The only role I see for him is as a ball playing lock in short stints but he is not worth anywhere near the money he wants.
A shadow of what he was? did you watch the games this year MB....he carried injuries and played when he should not have, delayed his surgery.....and did a good job in those games where we ran a lot off sides to close scores and the ones we won.
PS They all hate the collision, if you don't and do not try and defend yourself, you are in deep shit, especially carrying injuries. have a look at the players being busted from the kick off's, you mean to say that you would not turn your hip into the 4 gang tacklers about to hit you.
if we get Spencer lik all the rumors are perdicting with Tuivaiti, Brown and Doorey and Prykewe don't need Paulo as he offers nothing is a leach and blight should pull the offer and show strength not desperation
The only problem you'll find with Lenui he's never been Batman he's always been Robin now your asking him to be Batman.Penrith and the Roosters he's been the guy off the bench here he's going to have to play big minutes and provide the same energy.Can he do it well if he comes here he's got no choice he's going to have to be the guy.
If we lose him, we are in trouble. Dontbgive this he not worth it, no team gets rid of their top prop unless they have another, we don't.
We're definitely worse without Paulo, if we were to lose him it depends on what we would do with his cap space.
He's past his best by quite a way and whilst he has a few games that remind us of his brilliance, this chronic knee issue is going to make him age even faster so it's diminishing returns.
I think our offer is solid. It's not like we're in for a shot of a premiership next year anyway. We have to be thinking of what we can build from '28 onwards.
Cody walker got offered 300k. 650k for an aging player past his best, that plays half a season, is damn good money!
Spot on, this is exactly what the top clubs do. This is our offer, take it or leave it. They let Adam Reynolds go, Alex Johnson was only saved at the last second by Bennett and I'm guessing is on a modest contract. The whole scenario of offering Junior the type of money mentioned stinks to high heaven of the Ryan Matterson fiasco all over again. Why would we do this to ourselves?
That's the problem though Adam let him go and whose the experience we get to replace him.I agree the good clubs do let players like Paulo go much like Melbourne they'll lose the Lomax court case pay the legal bill and go and get Issako.
Who are we going to go get exactly.Your right about the good clubs doing what they do the difference is they have a plan and execute it here we are 2 yrs later call it 3 and still haven't a ready made replacement for Brown and our replacement for Lomax is a journeyman in Kelly.
Thats the difference we aren't a good club.
-
5
-
6
-
7
-
8
-
9
of 9 Next