Parry joins Maitland Pickers quest for premiership three-peat

Parry, a Tamworth product who played two NRL games for Parramatta in 2019, joined the club recently and was named in the centres on Tuesday ahead of this weekend's season-opening Magic Round against Northern Hawks at 3pm.

The 25-year-old's selection coincides with the "week-to-week proposition" of NSW Cup (Knights) trio Gary Anderson, James Bradley and Reid Alchin in what's otherwise an unchanged squad.

Parry came into the centres with Gary Anderson still to recover from a ankle injury and there may be some late reshuffles with James Bradley named in the Knights NSW Cup team to take on Sydney Roosters on Thursday night.

Alchin was not in the initial Pickers side named, but will be available for selection after not being named in the Knights squad for Thursday.

After being injured late last year Peter Wilson has also been named on the Pickers bench, while Faitotoa Faitotoa has been named as reserve, but he will need to pass a fitness test on Thursday night to be available.

"I'm looking forward to see how Ethan goes on Saturday. He has had NRL experience with the Eels and has performed well in our trials. He is a really good fit for our team," Maitland coach Matt Lantry said.

"We will test Faitotoa on Thursday, but we are not going to risk him at all. It's a long season and we don't want him to have to setbacks in his recovery this early on."

Maitland have won all before them over the last four years: a stand-alone President's Cup run by NSWRL in 2020, a Newcastle RL minor premiership in 2021 when COVID cut short proceedings and followed by back-to-back success locally in 2022 and 2023.

The Pickers once previously clinched a Newcastle RL title trifecta (1956-1958) while Wests (1980-1982, 1997-1999, 2012-2014), Lakes (1985-1987) and Kurri Kurri (1993-1995) have also achieved the feat.

"We're proud of what we've achieved but it doesn't help us achieve what we need to this year," Lantry said.

"If we keep looking back we won't necessarily continue to move in the right direction we want to.

"You look at all the other clubs and, while I'm a big believer in looking after your own backyard, obviously you stay aware of where the competition's at and who's been recruited and the quality that's been brought in. It's going to be a challenge.

"Three-peat has been briefly been spoken about. Maitland haven't done that since 1956, 1957, 1958. So to be on par with that group would be lovely recognition for this group of players.

"But in a sense it's about winning this competition and to do that we have to narrow our focus to the first month. We want a fast start. We've got the Bay [Northern Hawks] into Kurri at home and then back-to-back away games at Harker and Cessnock which is tough.

"We'll reassess after that, but for all teams the long-term goal is to win a comp and if we do that it coincides with a three-peat."

Lantry describes the availability of centre Anderson, winger Bradley and forward Alchin as a "significant challenge", but is comfortable with the consistency of personnel. "We're talking about guys who have played with us the last few years so it's not like someone brand new coming in," he said.