Former Hull KR and Leeds Rhinos hooker Matt Parcell has stepped out of retirement down under.
Parcell hung up his boots at the end of the 2024 Super League season and returned to Australia after spending eight seasons in the Northern Hemisphere. The majority of that time was spent in the red and white of KR, with Parcell joining the club on an initial loan in 2019 before going on to make over 120 appearances for the club.
Before then he had two and a half seasons with Leeds Rhinos where he featured 80 times and scored 32 tries.
As such, he returned to Queensland last year as a favourite in both West and East Yorkshire.
However, despite sitting out of last season, he has agreed to come out of retirement to play for Queensland Cup outfit Western Clydesdales.
The hooker was happily retired, but he has persuaded to lace up his boots once more by coaches Ben and Shane Walker, who he worked with at Ipswich Jets as a youngster.
Ex-Hull KR man steps out of retirement
“When I finished in England. I was pretty happy. I was done,” Parcell told the Chronicle. “A chat with Ben and Shane changed that though and to be honest, they didn’t really have to say much.
“I owe them so much.
“I was 17 when I played for them at Ipswich Jets and I wouldn’t be a professional player if it was not for their support, their coaching and everything else they did for me.
“The opportunity to play for them one more time was too good to pass up.”
After playing for the Jets, Parcell started his NRL career with Brisbane Broncos where he made just six outings. He moved on to join Manly Sea Eagles for 2016 and played 15 times before heading over to England as a 24-year-old.
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