The reality check of losing his NRL contract has re-energised Ethan Parry and led to a lifeline deal with Canterbury.
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The Tamworth export, who turned 22 on Saturday, is playing Ron Massey Cup with the Bulldogs' Sydney-based feeder club the Mount Pritchard Mounties as he looks to add to this two NRL games.
Parry played those two games at Parramatta, who developed the former under-18 Australian Schoolboy and NSW under-21 player after signing him at age 15.
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Parry - who attended Oxley High and whose family hails from Werris Creek - scored a sensational try on the wing in his NRL debut in 2019.
The following year, the Eels said they released him "by mutual consent".
Following his departure from the club, Parry told the Leader that his tenure at the Eels got "a bit stressful" and he had fallen "out of love with the game".
He also dealt with mental health issues when rugby league was shut down last year because of the pandemic.
Parry had said he wanted to "get back to my roots" by playing park footy - Ron Massey Cup - so he could "find the spark again".
His Tamworth-based father, Troy, said that had happened.
"It was getting to him a bit. But he's all sorted now; he's a lot better now," Troy said. "He's more switched on, and he's got the enthusiasm back to make it [rugby league] a career."
Troy admitted that his son "had me worried". "He was away from it [rugby league] for too long ... he had the world at his feet 12 months ago."
Parry will play centre for the Mounties in a round three clash against the Hills District Bulls at Aubrey Keech Reserve in Sydney on Saturday.
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