The Parramatta Eels have provided an update on Clint Gutherson, Junior Paulo and Wiremu Greig ahead of their first pre-season trial match.

The club has confirmed that the star trio have all overcome their respective injury and have since returned to full training as they look to be fit for Round 1 against the Canterbury Bulldogs.

Paulo recently had to have surgery for a chronic toe injury, whilst Gutherson suffered a knee injury in the final round of the 2023 NRL season and was set to race the clock to be back for the opening round.

Their recovery means Arthur Miller Stephen and Richard Penisini are the only two players who will be on the sidelines to begin the year. The duo have been ruled out for the season after sustaining ACL injuries in the pre-season.

A young fullback who can also play on the wing, Miller-Stephen made hisย NRLย debut in Round 23 of the 2023 season against theย St George Illawarra Dragons, crossing for a try.

His primary position is fullback, however, and he played nine games for the NSW Cupย team this year, scoring four tries and laying on another five try assists. In those nine games, he came up with 23 tackle busts and ran for an average of 137 metres per game.

The injury is a devasting setback for the young gun, who could have found himself in line for more first-grade action this year, with Parramatta still facing significant questions over their outside backs.

TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 27: Eels coach Brad Arthur looks on at the post match media conference at the end of during the round 20 NRL match between the North Queensland Cowboys and the the Parramatta Eels at 1300SMILES Stadium on July 27, 2015 in Townsville, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Rated as one of the best youngsters in Parramatta's junior system, Richard Penisini made his NSW Cup debut at the back-end of the 2023 season against the Sydney Roosters and likely would have worked his way into being a mainstay in that set-up during 2024 as he pushed for a first-grade debut.

Given Parramatta's lack of depth at centre and in the backline more broadly, as well as some of the strugglesย Brad Arthur's side faced in the position throughout the 2023 campaign, there were even some speculating that the youngster could well have been in line for anย NRLย debut during the second half of this year's campaign.

That will now not be the case, with Richard needing to rehabilitate his knee instead.

He has been regarded already as one of the key reasons brother Will - who is cemented in the first-grade side - re-signed with the club on a long-term deal despite interest from rugby union.