Eels prop Junior Paulo knows first-hand the pressure that comes with trying to deliver the club its first premiership in 36 years next Sunday.
It’s why if Parramatta are to go all the way and break the NRL’s longest premiership drought on Sunday, Paulo’s men will have the final say.
The Cabramatta local junior has heard about it all his life, from the moment he signed an Eels contract with the club over 10 years ago to the time he re-joined the Eels in 2019.
Any Eels player who has played at the club but hasn’t had the same junior experience, has quickly felt the weight of expectation too.
“It is everything you imagine as a kid growing up playing in the Parramatta district,” Paulo said.
“There was always going to be hoodoos about Parramatta not winning a grand final since 1986.
“This club is so rich in history all throughout the ‘80s. As a current player you want to become part of that history. There is a lot of expectation on this group.
“We have proved a lot of people wrong but there is still a long way to go. We are in a grand final and 80 minutes away from proving everyone wrong.”
The middle men combine
A hurdle the Eels have failed in recently until this year’s final series has been handling the big moments.
Aside from losing their way in the opening finals week loss to the Panthers, the side has shown great improvement in showing resilience when it matters before finding a key play late in a match.
Their ability to knock over top four sides throughout the regular season has also given them belief to take on any opposition.
“It comes back to how tight this group is,” Paulo said.
“It is so passionate and desperate and we want to win. It’s just about believing in each other.
“For the current group winning a comp has always been a dream. We have guys moving on next year so what better way to celebrate hopefully what can be a part of history next week.”
Paulo was cleared of any wrongdoing following Friday night's win over the Cowboys after being penalised for a dangerous tackle late in the second half in another boost for the club.