https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/ju...aulo-returning-to-sydney-20180627-p4zo0j.html
Junior no more, different Paulo returning to Sydney
The Junior Paulo returning to Sydney is different to the one that left. This one's more mature and better able to handle the Harbour City's temptations.
And the Canberra Raiders prop credits the Green Machine with the turn around after he arrived in a new city with no family or friends to lean on.
The big bopper vowed to "go out with a bang" as he returns from a mid-foot sprain for the Raiders' crunch game against the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
Paulo was mostly excited, although a little bit daunted, at the prospect of making his return from injury in such a big game.
But the behemoth is a big in as the Green Machine look to keep their season alive.
The 24-year-old will return to the Parramatta Eels next season after signing a lucrative four-year deal believed to be worth more than $3 million.
He played 53 NRL games for the Eels before joining the Raiders midway through the 2016 season as Parramatta tried to become salary cap compliant.
Part of the reason for the move was to help get his life back on track after he was involved in several off-field incidents.
Speaking for the first time about his Sydney return, he revealed the move was partly for security and partly to get his young family closer to support networks.
He said it had initially been hard moving to Canberra and starting from "scratch", but credited the Green Machine with not only helping him fit in, but also making him a better person.
"Canberra have been so good to me and part of the move ... was being able to mature as a person off the field and I feel that's something that Canberra have really been able to help me with, being able to mature and grow up in the sense of being an adult," he said.
"It's definitely been a move that's been very beneficial for my football and off the field as well.
"The Junior Paulo this year is certainly not the one from 2015 or 16.
"I've been on a bit of a rollercoaster, but I've got life back on track away from the footy field and being able to look after my family and being able to grow up and be an adult, and just being a father figure to my kids."
Paulo also revealed how close he came to suffering a season-ending injury involving one of the most-dreaded words in the sport world.
Instead, he suffered a mid-foot sprain in the Raiders' 32-18 victory over the Gold Coast Titans in round nine.
It was diagnosed as an 8-10-week injury, which means he's coming back right on the lower end of that.
"It was a mid-foot sprain, it's the joint right next to the Lisfranc, which is not a good ligament to actually do, it could put you out for the season," Paulo said.
"But I was lucky enough that it was the joint next to it. I'm just happy to be back running back out on the field.
"It's been a gruelling time on the rower and the grinder and indoors getting flogged. It's good just being around the boys again."
He said while a packed Suncorp was daunting, it was somewhere he looked forward to playing at.
The powerful prop was fuelled by not only the magnitude of the game - the Raiders need to win to keep their finals hopes alive - but also a bit of revenge.
A Jordan Kahu field goal was the only thing that separated the two sides in tough conditions last year.
He was also mindful of the Green Machine's poor record at Suncorp, having won only one game there since 2004.
"I think we've won two of the past 11 encounters up there so it's definitely a tough record," Paulo said.
"But it's definitely one that's easy to break if we're doing our job and focussing on ourselves.
"It's obviously going to be a big game against the Broncos, but we've also got to worry about ourselves first.
"They've got a good mixture of experience and youth. Their forward pack is a lot more mobile than the others and also coming up against a big pack like us they'll be out there to prove themselves."
NRL ROUND 16
Saturday: Canberra Raiders v Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium, 7.35pm. Live on Fox League.
Raiders squad: 1. Jack Wighton, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Jarrod Croker (C), 4. Joey Leilua, 5. Michael Oldfield, 6. Blake Austin, 7. Aidan Sezer, 8. Sia Soliola, 9. Josh Hodgson, 10. Shannon Boyd, 11. Joe Tapine, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Josh Papalii.
Interchange: 14. Siliva Havili, 15. Junior Paulo, 16. Dunamis Lui, 17. Liam Knight, 18. Jack Murchie, 19. Charlie Gubb, 20. Craig Garvey, 21. Brad Abbey.
Broncos squad: 1. Darius Boyd (c), 2. Corey Oates, 3. James Roberts, 4. Jordan Kahu, 5. Jamayne Isaako, 6. Anthony Milford, 7. Kodi Nikorima, 8. Matthew Lodge, 9. Andrew McCullough, 10. Sam Thaiday, 11. Tevita Pangai jnr, 12. Jaydn Su'A, 13. Josh McGuire.
Interchange: 14. Patrick Mago, 15. Joe Ofahengaue, 16. Tom Opacic, 17. Alex Glenn, 18. Korbin Sims, 19. Troy Dargan, 20. Sam Tagataese, 21. David Fifita, 22. Kotoni Staggs, 23. Gehamat Shibasaki.
