Article in todays Courier Mail-
Rated the best rugby league talent yet to secure an NRL position, Parcell had to leave Brisbane because Andrew McCullough had a mortgage on their No.9 jersey.
He showed yesterday what the Broncos and coach Wayne Bennett, who was watching on, will miss.
His five tries were a mixture of footballing instincts, great support play and pure speed.
Parcell broke Broncos endurance records last pre-season and his fitness base ensures he is constantly lurking through the middle waiting for off-loads.
He scored four tries in the first half alone, including a solo effort in which he bamboozled three Tigers defenders to barge over the line.
Parcell is a great success story of the Intrust Super Cup and the Jets’ development pathways.
An Ipswich Grammar product who barely played league during high school, Parcell did not make any representative teams as a teenager but impressed from the moment he trialled for the Jets colts team.
Three years later and Parcell is arguably the best player in the Cup.
No Cup player has ever scored five tries in a final but Parcell could not quite reach Chris Walker’s all time record of seven tries, a feat the former Bronco told him to chase in Ipswich’s sheds during half time.
“I have never scored five tries. I think I scored four in under-18s once,” Parcell said.
“It was a good performance from us. We refined things a little to work them over in the middle more.
“I am very grateful for the Broncos giving me an opportunity but in the end it was an easy decision to go to Manly. I want to play in the NRL regularly.
“There weren’t too many opportunities to do that at Brisbane.
“Manly’s offer was three years and it was a good offer and there’s a good opportunity down there with (coach) Trent (Barrett) coming in.”
