Cody Parry has long been recognised as a special rugby league talent. But just how special has been underlined by Parramatta's new deal for the 16-year-old centre.
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Parry said COVID-19 resulted in the Eels terminating the contracts of all its juniors, including his four-year deal, to save money.
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He said his freshly inked four-year contract was one of only two new contracts the club handed juniors.
The Australian Schoolboys under-15 representative was in the second year of his initial stint with the Eels when COVID struck and the 2020 Harold Matthews Cup was cancelled mid-competition.
His new deal means he will still be contracted when he finishes high school.
Parry will return to Sydney after Christmas, in preparation for the new Harold Matthew Cup season (due to COVID it has been changed from an under-16 to an under-17 comp).
He had attended Parramatta Marist High this year, before returning to Tamworth and Farrer because of the pandemic.
He will be in year 11 at famed rugby league nursery St Gregory's College at Campbelltown next year. It is the same school his elder brother, Ethan, attended.
Ethan was also a star junior at the Eels, and scored a sensational try in his NRL debut for the club in 2019. The 21-year-old played one more game, before being released by Parramatta in May.
It is unclear if he has a new NRL deal or remains unsigned.
Cody Parry said he was "keen" to board at St Gregory's. "My brother went there and he loved it. It's a good culture around it.
"I'm just keen to get back into school footy because we couldn't play much down here [Farrer] because of COVID."
Parry said he had been "working" on his body while back home.
"I think I've lost a bit of fat, but I've put on a bit of muscle and got my speed back," he said.
