Signings watch: Could this veteran be the Bears' inaugural captain?

With Junior Paulo considering whether he’ll play for Parramatta or Perth next season, Bryan Fletcher admits he would love to see him join the expansion club.

After a three-year stint with Canberra, the former NSW representative has been a constant in the Eels’ forward pack, having played 20 games or more in every season bar two since returning to the club in 2019.

This year, Paulo has been on the sidelines for the majority of the season, having had an arthroscopy in his right knee.

That injury has come at the same time as when the Samoan representative comes out of contract.

But Parramatta could potentially part ways with Paulo at season’s end.

On Wednesday, News Corp’s Michael Carayannis reported that the Eels are in a battle to keep the 32-year-old in blue and gold after the Bears offered him a two-year deal, which is a year more than what Parramatta is offering.

Should Paulo choose to join the NRL’s 18th side, the former Rooster and Rabbitoh in Fletcher believes he would be a great choice to be the club’s first-ever captain.

“What a great signing,” Fletcher said on SEN’s The Run Home with Joel and Fletch.

“This is good. I love this for the Bears.

“He'll be captain. I would make him my club captain.

“This is it; this is what the Dolphins did (with Jesse Bromwich).

“He's still got a lot to offer Junior.”

That was a sentiment shared by Justin Horo, noting the prop has been consistently on the field before this year.

“Yeah, he's a gun,” Horo added.

“Before this season, he's been ultra reliable with his health and being available.

“He went through a couple of years when they were making all those changes, and Mitch (Moses) missed some time. I think even Gutther (Clint Gutherson) at the back end of his stint and Reggie (Reagan Campbell-Gillard), he was the ever-present through the middle.”

“I know (the) Eels don't want to let him go, but if they're only gonna give him a one-year contract, year by year, he's gotta take this significantly increased offer (and) you gotta let him go,” Fletcher concluded.

The Perth Bears have officially signed 22 players to their list ahead of their inaugural season next year.