Leeds Rhinos: Parcell excited by move to Leeds

The 24-year-old hooker has signed a three-year contract and is due to arrive in this country next month.

Leeds paid Manly Sea Eagles an undisclosed fee for the former Brisbane Broncos player, who began his career at Ipswich Jets.

Parcell will fill the hole left by Papua New Guinea international James Segeyaro’s decision not to fulfil the contract he signed in September.

Segeyaro has cited homesickness as his reason for not returning to Leeds, but Parcell insisted: “I am really excited about coming over and taking up this opportunity. It is something I’ve always wanted to do. Having a contract with Manly I didn’t think I’d be doing it so early, but I am really excited and really looking forward to it.”

Parcell is known for his pace and distribution from dummy-half and feels he is suited to Betfred Super League.

“The style Manly want to play sort of limits my game and my running game,” Parcell said. “Talking to Gary [Hetherington, Rhinos’ chief executive] and Brian [McDermott, coach] I am really hoping the style of footy they want to play will allow me to play my natural game.”

Parcell has been in pre-season training with Manly, where he had two years left on his contract and stressed he is “fit and strong and ready to play”.

He is a former Brisbane team-mate of Leeds prop Mitch Garbutt and was coached at Ipswich by Ben Walker, who played for Rhinos in 2002.

He said both have spoken highly of the club and insisted: “I know last year they didn’t do as well as they wanted, but I am hoping I can fit well into the team and put them back in the top-four again.

“Hopefully I can settle in quickly and hit the ground running.”

Hetherington confirmed Parcell – whose grandfather Gary Parcell played for Australia at Headingley in 1959 – will wear the No 9 jersey which had originally been allocated to Segeyaro.