Matt Parcell on why he decided to stay at Hull KR

Hull KR hooker Matt Parcell admitted that head coach Tony Smith was the reason he decided to extend his contract with the club.

Parcell arrived at Rovers midway through the 2019 season from the Leeds Rhinos on an initially a loan move, before he decided to make it a permanent switch.

The Australian has since become a huge favourite at Craven Park and agreed a new one-year deal with the Robins earlier this week.

Speaking on the reasons for extending his stay with the club, Parcell said: “Though I am with a very good group of players, the main reason I have decided to stay is Tony Smith.

“I really enjoy playing under Tony, he gives me the freedom that I think I need. I have always felt that Tony has confidence in my ability.

“He has helped me get through this time in the last couple of months knowing that when I come back, I have a coach who will back me 100%.

“That is what I need for my game. A coach who backs my ability all the way and that is what he does. “

Prior to the extension, there were doubts about Parcell’s future at the club with a number of other Super League teams weighing up a bid for the former Manly star.

However, he admitted that the plan was always to repay the faith showed in him by Hull KR after an unsettling period off the pitch.

“It is nice to have my new contract finally sorted,” said Parcell. “It has been an interesting year to be out of contract.

“It has been a very strange year as a player and as a club, sorting things out financially, what they can and cannot spend, so it is good to have that faith from the club in me.

“Personally, the last 12 months, I have sustained two very serious injuries. Since going into lockdown, I have just been fully focused on coming back.

“I feel really good and feel as though I have been training really well and hopefully, it will all correlate onto the field.”