Ethan Parry's quest to revive his NRL career ramps up this weekend as Maitland kick-off their bid for a Newcastle Rugby League three-peat.
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Parry, a Tamworth product who played two NRL games for Parramatta in 2019, joined the club recently and has been named in the centres for their season-opening Magic Round clash against Northern Hawks.
The 25-year-old's selection coincides with the "week-to-week proposition" of NSW Cup (Knights) trio Gary Anderson, James Bradley and Reid Alchin in what's otherwise an unchanged squad.
Welcoming the signing of the former Australian Schoolboy and NSW under-20 representative earlier this year, Pickers coach Matt Lantry said Parry would have to "come in and prove himself".
"I'm looking forward to see how Ethan goes on Saturday. He has had NRL experience with the Eels and has performed well in our trials. He is a really good fit for our team," Lantry said.
Parry, who has played with Kootingal-Moonbi for the past three seasons, has made no secret of his desire to earn another crack at the NRL.
"If you asked me to run from here to Perth and back, I'd do it [to play NRL again]," he told the Leader in early 2023.
He joins a Pickers side that have won all before them over the last four years: a stand-alone President's Cup run by NSWRL in 2020, a Newcastle RL minor premiership in 2021 when COVID cut short proceedings, followed by back-to-back success locally in 2022 and 2023.
The Pickers once previously clinched a Newcastle RL title trifecta (1956-1958) while Wests (1980-1982, 1997-1999, 2012-2014), Lakes (1985-1987) and Kurri Kurri (1993-1995) have also achieved the feat.
"We're proud of what we've achieved but it doesn't help us achieve what we need to this year," Lantry said.
"If we keep looking back we won't necessarily continue to move in the right direction we want to.
"You look at all the other clubs and, while I'm a big believer in looking after your own backyard, obviously you stay aware of where the competition's at and who's been recruited and the quality that's been brought in. It's going to be a challenge.
"Three-peat has been briefly been spoken about. Maitland haven't done that since 1956, 1957, 1958. So to be on par with that group would be lovely recognition for this group of players.
"But in a sense it's about winning this competition and to do that we have to narrow our focus to the first month. We want a fast start. We've got the Bay [Northern Hawks] into Kurri at home and then back-to-back away games at Harker and Cessnock which is tough.
"We'll reassess after that, but for all teams the long-term goal is to win a comp and if we do that it coincides with a three-peat."
Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
