Can you spot the SHOCKING mistake on Parramatta’s 2023 calendar? NRL grand finalists make glaring error that’s sure to infuriate their fans
Haven’t long-suffering Parramatta supporters copped enough? After the shattering pain of losing the 2022 NRL grand final, fans have now had the loss of barnstorming forward Isaiah Papali’i rubbed in their faces.
After almost a full season of indecision, the second-rower has confirmed he will honour his contract with Wests Tigers in 2023.
However, the New Zealand international, who’s currently at the Rugby League World Cup, still appears on the Eels calendar for 2023.
The calendar features an image of Isaiah Papali’i – who has departed the club for Wests Tigers – with the caption Junior Paulo
Isaiah Papali’i and Junior Paulo playing for the Parramatta Eels in 2022. The makers of the calendar have confused the two players
The calendar features an image of Papali’i as the player for March in a glaring error that won’t impress Parramatta fans already getting over his absence for next season.
It gets worse.
Not only was an image of Papali’i used, the caption is horribly wrong. His image is labelled with Junior Paulo’s name.
The calendar was created and published by Universal Magazines, which is now known as Universal Media Co.
The Eels calendar, including the mistake involving Isaiah Papali’i and Junior Paulo is on sale now and many places have low availability of remaining stock
Universal Media Co has been contacted for comment.
If any Eels diehards view the calendar as a glimmer of hope that Papali’i will deliver a late backflip and remain with the club, there is bad news on that front as well.
The 24-year-old has confirmed that he will honour his three-year deal at the Tigers and report for pre-season training after the World Cup.
‘I hope people can understand the way I went about my situation, I can understand why some people weren’t happy,’ Papali’i told The Sydney Morning Herald.
‘But the people who needed to know at the Tigers knew what my plans were.
‘I’ve been in contact with Sheensy [Wests coach Tim Sheens] throughout the year. I didn’t want my individual talks to worry this [Parramatta] group given the opportunity we had.
‘I’m looking forward to the challenge in 2023 and the three years I’ve got at the Tigers, I’m all in. I’ll be putting as much effort in there as I did at this club, that’s a promise.’
Astute fans might also notice two other questionable features on the Parramatta calendar for 2023.
First, it features forward Wiremu Greig, who made just a single appearance for the Eels in 2022 and is off contract and able to negotiate with rivals.
Nathan Brown is also featured despite being linked to a host of other NRL clubs for 2023.
The fine print of the calendar does however state that ‘information was correct as of 1st May, 2022’.
Brown is free to negotiate with rival NRL clubs and will likely be granted a release if he finds a new home for the 2023 season
Brown has been linked with a number of clubs including St George Illawarra and a return to Wests.
‘Go back to the Tigers? Yeah, I would be [interested],’ Brown said.
‘See what happens. They have a couple of good signings with Sheens there, Benji and Farah. I think they are going to be on the up.
‘I have a job to do here [for Italy at the World Cup] and that is to captain my country. All my focus has been on the camp and what I can do to help my teammates and the team.’