An increasingly compelling subplot of one of the most compelling Group 4 season in some time is the form of Ethan Parry.
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A surprise addition to the competition this year, the ex-NRL player is getting better with every minute of game time logged in his long legs.
In his first match for the table-topping Roosters, a win over the Bears at Kootingal on May 8, the 22-year-old cramped - in what was a lively but largely ineffectual performance as a replacement centre.
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On Sunday, he delivered an energetic and menacing performance at fullback in a 48-6 thumping of Gunnedah at Kootingal.
Roosters coach Geoff Sharpe said of his high-value asset: "He has played a lot of reserve grade [in Sydney] on the wing. And I asked him if he wanted to have a crack at fullback, and he said 'yeah'.
"Since he's been there he's been outstanding. He's taken ownership of the position. He's a big body and he's pretty safe, and he's a handful.
"So we love him."
Parry's eye-catching display against Gunnedah included a try - his second for the season - in which he used his 191cm, some 100kg frame to plough a way to the tryline.
He also set up two tries - first firing a pass to send winger Nic Zahra over in the corner, and then combing potently with centre Liam Hatch to send Zahra over again.
It was Kooty's and, mostly likely, Parry's best effort of the year. The likelihood that the best is yet to come from Parry, and probably the Roosters too, is salivating.
After the under-21 Blue and under-18 Australian Schoolboy left Parramatta, by mutual consent, mid-way through 2020, he told the Leader that he wanted to reignite his passion for the game - and his NRL dream - by playing park footy.
"That's always gonna be the goal," he has said of adding to his two NRL games. "I just come home to sort of ground myself, get back to my roots and start enjoying footy again so I can play my best footy."
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