The 2026 NRL season isn't just another year; it feels like a crossroads.
With Adam Reynolds already confirming his departure, attention turns to a group of veterans whose futures are far less certain.
Contracts are expiring. Bodies are slowing. And in some cases, the game itself is moving on.
Only one of these men has secured a premiership ring, but their impact and success cannot simply be defined or measured by this singular achievement.
These aren't just experienced players; they're club-defining figures. And for each of them, 2026 shapes as more than a season. It might be the last time we see them put on the boots.
1. Junior Paulo: Parramatta Eels
There's a sense of timing around Junior Paulo.
The Parramatta enforcer has built a career on presence—physical, vocal, and emotional. Since debuting in 2013, with a brief detour to Canberra before returning “home,” he's been the kind of player the club leans on when things get tough.
But the modern NRL doesn't wait. The pace is quicker, the middle is more demanding, and for Paulo, the signs are there. His form has tapered, his contract is up, and the elusive premiership still hasn't come.
If this is the end, it won't be sudden—it'll feel like the right moment for a player who has given everything.
