THE MOMENT Jets hooker Matt Parcell knew he belonged as an NRL player is etched forever in the memory.
June 21, 2015 was the date.
AAMI Park, Melbourne was the venue.
The Broncos arch rivals, the Melbourne Storm, were the opponents.
Parcell, the Broncos 22-year-old hooker, was in the firing line.
The Broncos were ahead 14-12 with seconds remaining and were defending their own tryline.
The Storm’s giant 109kg prop Felise Kaufusi charged at the tryline and looked certain to score until Parcell, 88kg wringing wet, put his body on the line and made a last ditched one-on-one tackle to secure the Broncos their first win in the Victorian capital in five years.
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The question mark over all smaller players relates to whether they can handle the NRL’s defensive requirements.
Parcell answered in style.
“I got a tremendous amount of confidence out of that game,” he said.
“I came on with about 20 minutes to go and made 30 tackles.
“That game was the moment when I really felt like an NRL player and could stand up with the boys.
“Not being in an NRL system before I didn’t have any wrestling technique but I’ve done a lot of work with the Broncos under 20s coach Craig Hodges on defence.”
The tackle on Kaufusi was no fluke.
“Hodgo’ was really helping me out three weeks before that,” Parcell said.
“After a session I was doing extras on that sort of tackle so to pull it off in a game was special.”
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Parcell has come through the Jets system from his colts days and bleeds green and white.
That is the reason why Sunday’s Intrust Super Cup grand final against the Blackhawks means so much to him.
“This is massive,” he said.
“We have been building for this for the last three or four years and to send Keiron (Lander) out on a high note and win Ipswich’s first premiership would be unbelievable.”
Parcell, who will join Manly next year, returned to the Jets when Broncos rake Kodi Nikorima recovered from injury.
Second tier salary cap constraints were also a factor.
“It was tough at first coming back, and it took me a couple of games to get used to it, but the thing that really helped me this year was just thinking that this is the last time I’ll get to play with the boys,” he said.
“Instead of being frustrated, I started to really enjoy playing with the guys knowing this is the last year I will get to.
“That has played a big part in my recent form.”
Parcell’s five tries in the 44-18 win over Easts Tigers a fortnight ago was a record in a Queensland Cup finals match.
“I got a lot of confidence out of that,” he said.
“My support play is the biggest thing in attack I’ve tried to work on this year, along with my speed, and just being in the right spot.
“I know that you might be there 10 times and score once, but so long as you are there you are setting yourself up for that opportunity.”