Corowa-Rutherglen coach Marc Almond says Cody Parker has the potential to be a star.
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It’s not a bad effort for someone who did pre-season just to get fit and only committed in January.
“He came across from Rutherglen with Brendan Morris and as the pre-season wore on, I kept working on him,” Almond said.
“I thought he wasn’t coming and I said one day, ‘so what do you reckon?’ and he said, ‘I’m coming’. It was really left field, to be honest.”
Parker played lower grades at Albury, but had struggled with injuries.
“He got knocked out really bad in the reserves and ended up having six months off and going overseas,” Almond said.
After two rounds, Parker has eight goals to sit just one behind Wangaratta’s Michael Newton and Shaun Mannagh of North Albury.
“There’s no reason why he can’t be an elite player in this competition,” Almond said.
“He’s got all the skills and attributes, he’s got a workrate and he’s got an appetite to learn.
“He asks questions every day of me and challenges me as a coach.
“I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Parker played centre half-forward in the five-goal win over Myrtleford.
“It’s like he’s on rails, I can see why there was the hype when he was young,” Almond said.
The only negative on his five-star display was a tweaked hamstring, which will put him in doubt for Saturday’s away clash against Wodonga Raiders.
Parker was pipped for best on ground though.
“Dylan Cook’s workrate, his ability to chase, tackle and defend, he plays on a wing and doesn’t come off and he’s super fit,” Almond said.
