"I want you to be captain next year mate, I want you to experience this feeling as captain," he whispered as the two embraced each other.

Ironically Parnell, who scored an impressive try ahead of the main break, would then be announced as the man of the match one minute later.

"There was a bit of pressure from the expectation of winning all year and I think we were under the pump from that point of view," Parnell told the Singleton Argus.

"But we had a good mindset going into it and we didn't put ourselves under too much pressure.

"I love the town and I love the team so I just put in 100% effort and I'm lucky that it paid off today."

(Full match report - click here)