Parramatta co-captain Junior Paulo says last season's elimination-final loss against Penrith still hurts and is spurring the Eels on to succeed in the 2022 NRL campaign.
The Eels are priced at 12/1 to win the 2022 NRL grand final and they are determined to make up for heartbreaking loss against the Panthers.
Premiership drought
Parramatta have not won a premiership in 36 years and came within a whisker of making last season's grand final before losing 8-6 to Penrith.
On another night the Eels could easily have won as they took the Panthers to the wire and Paulo says he has watched the replay of the game about 20 times.
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It would have made for torturous viewing for Paulo but he is keen to learn lessons from the narrow loss.
"But I guess you've got to relive that moment to move on," the NSW Origin prop said. "It took a while to get over, but it became a massive learning curve for us and what it takes to win those big games."
Big year
The Eels have made finals in each of the last three years without going on to make a grand final and win a premiership and this season could be the time to put it right.
It is the last chance to dance for the current crop of players as star men Reed Mahoney, Isaiah Papali'i and Marata Niukore will all move on to pastures new at the end of the season.
The trio remain fully committed to the cause and Paulo is now hoping they can go out with a bang by winning the premiership.
"The boys have touched on it with them departing," Paulo added. "The boys know exactly the role and how committed they are in their last year.
"I think it's more us collectively knowing the possibilities of what we can do."
