Former Super League & NRL powerhouse sees next destination confirmed following sudden York exit
Pauli Pauli scores a try for Salford Red Devils in the 2020 Challenge Cup final - Alamy
Doncaster have confirmed the signing of experienced head Pauli Pauli on a two-year deal from 2024, just days after the towering forward departed fellow Championship outfit York.
With a year left on his contract at the LNER Community Stadium, New South Wales-born Pauli opted to cut short his time with York and earlier this week left ‘with immediate effect to pursue new opportunities’ elsewhere.
It’s evident now that the ‘new opportunity’ he was pursuing was the offer of a longer contract in the same county, putting pen to paper on a contract running until the end of 2025 at the Eco-Power Stadium.
Newly-promoted Doncaster have recruited a lot of experienced heads for their return to the second tier, and with plenty of Super League & NRL appearances under his belt, the 29-year-old is no different.
Former Super League & NRL powerhouse Pauli Pauli sees Doncaster switch confirmed following sudden York departure earlier this week
Pauli joins Suaia Matagi, Craig Hall, Alex Sutcliffe, Reece Lyne and Luke Briscoe as a new recruit for the Dons, who gained promotion via the League 1 play-offs.
Having featured Down Under for the Parramatta Eels as well as Newcastle Knights, Pauli made the move over to England and into Super League with Wakefield Trinity ahead of the 2018 campaign.
With a short loan stint at Salford Red Devils coming the following year, he would go on to link up permanently with the Greater Manchester outfit in preparation for the 2020 season.
That year, he was on the scoresheet under the arch at Wembley in a Challenge Cup final which took place behind-closed-doors against Leeds Rhinos during the COVID-10 Pandemic.
Spending the last two seasons in the Championship with York, Doncaster become the sixth permanent home of his career, also featuring for the Combined Nations All Stars against England in 2021.
Pauli told the Dons’ club website: “The signings Doncaster have made along with myself add a lot of experience which will be very important for the coming season.
“My game is based around being aggressive and I try and always put my best foot forward in the contact area of the game. I love the contact and hard parts of the game in the rucks and getting the team on the front foot.”
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