Paulsen was educated at
Anglican Church Grammar School in
East Brisbane. A leg-spinner, he made his first-class debut for
Queensland in 1966–67 at the age of 19 and took 31 wickets at an average of 31.61, including 7 for 73 in the second innings against
South Australia in
Brisbane. Paulsen was considered a contender for the
1968 tour of England, but his form in the 1967–68 season was not quite sufficient to justify his selection. He took 22 wickets at 39.40. He took 25 wickets in 1968–69, and 24 in 1969–70, but after that his form declined, and he lost his place in the Queensland team to
Malcolm Francke. Paulsen moved to
Perth, and represented
Western Australia regularly for three seasons. Against
MCC in 1974–75 he took 7 for 41 to dismiss MCC for 177 after they had been set 298 to win in just over four hours. He had similar success the next season against
the West Indians, taking his best figures of 8 for 71 as the West Indians chased 333 in 220 minutes and were dismissed for 217. With this form, Paulsen was considered a possible inclusion in the Australian side to play
New Zealand and
Pakistan in the 1976/77 Australian season. He was less successful in the Sheffield Shield, however, and after a few more matches in 1976–77 and 1977–78 he lost his place in the side. ==Later career==