2025 pre season thread
- Thread starter Billy
- Start date
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
The best glimpses were in the Eels game, besides the try he had some bright moments. He’s good in broken play for reasons which can’t be taught.
Playing him on the right undermined his game. Most five-eighths are better on the left. The shapes are easier to execute, it’s the easier side to defend on, etc. I know Jacko prefers to play on the left but whoever’s playing halfback has to play on the right as far as I’m concerned if they’re a right footed kicker.
Pryce played pretty much exclusively on the right in reggies too, didn't matter who his half was.
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Initially yes. I’m pretty sure the huge uptick in form in the back half of the year coincided with him being moved to the left…
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
I think this shows what I mean. More than half of the video is from the great run of form he had to end the season where he’s popping up on the left more. The right to left pass looks a lot more natural for him (as it does for most players).
Thieves Like Us
John Morris
Attacking wise he was ok. I think the big question mark has always been defensive. I thought he was better than expected in that regard but I do think Gags tucked in a little too much to protect him and got burned a few times as a result.
The whole game plan during the second half of last season was to defend well, put pressure on the opposition with those uncontested chip kicks and rely on a bit of X factor from Ponga, Best or latterly Sharpe. It remains to be seen whether the plan will evolve for the coming season. If it doesn’t I really can’t see Pryce getting a look in.
The whole game plan during the second half of last season was to defend well, put pressure on the opposition with those uncontested chip kicks and rely on a bit of X factor from Ponga, Best or latterly Sharpe. It remains to be seen whether the plan will evolve for the coming season. If it doesn’t I really can’t see Pryce getting a look in.
Kurriboy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
And the year before we had one of the best attacks in the comp with a free flowing attacking style built on confidence.
Next season it's back to conservative attack, grinding style trying to emulate Penrith. Except we don't have any of the attributes required to make that style work.
alexwilliams
Anthony Quinn
Hopefully by now he has adjusted to the Aussie climate a bit more and goes up another level
Les Misérables
Josh Perry
I genuinely hold this again AOB. Always have. I find it cowardly and selfish. Selfish to the extent that he is deliberately limiting our ceiling in exchange for improved odds of mediocre but consistent football. Whether it's to save his job or just to help the boys get some wins under their belt, I can't hack it. It's so weak of us.
Imagine settling for Cogger and Crossland as your halves pairing and leaving Pryce in NSW Cup. Honestly AOB is a total coward sometimes
Billy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
My theory is that Pryce was told to play for himself in NSW cup to prove he had attacking flair.
2/3rds of the season he was running on the 5th tackle, doing chip kicks for himself on the second tackle, throwing a million dummies that no one bought - basically working on that highlight reel above - but his blooper reel would be the length of Ben Hur.
He was much better in firstgrade, and was trying to be a team player and not a selfish tosser.
He played his best footy of the year when he went back to reserves.
I don't think it was a good plan, but I think it was a plan for him to try to dominate in reserves by playing for himself.
2/3rds of the season he was running on the 5th tackle, doing chip kicks for himself on the second tackle, throwing a million dummies that no one bought - basically working on that highlight reel above - but his blooper reel would be the length of Ben Hur.
He was much better in firstgrade, and was trying to be a team player and not a selfish tosser.
He played his best footy of the year when he went back to reserves.
I don't think it was a good plan, but I think it was a plan for him to try to dominate in reserves by playing for himself.
mullenmagic
Matthew Gidley
Don’t think he was playing any differently than he had been at Huddersfield, people were just now seeing him play full games instead of a few minutes of a highlight video. Consistency, decision making and defence continued to be problems. He didn’t really string multiple good games together until late in the season.
HarVeeGee13
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
The thing here was that Will was genuinely awful at the start of the year in NSW Cup and you can’t reward that with selection in firsts. You kind of do have to make guys earn it. You could argue that he shouldn’t have been dropped because he went okay when he did get his chance, but by his own admission the fitness, nutrition, training standards over here were a big challenge and adjustment for him. The talent is real, but Huddersfield had nurtured it very poorly, and that needed to be fixed.
But yeah hitting his second pre-season now, off the back of a finish to the NSW Cup season where he was on fire… if he looks really good in the trials and then he’s not playing first grade, I probably won’t be very impressed.
Thieves Like Us
John Morris
We also lost two or three of the main attributes for that free flowing attacking style.
Dom going killed the right side attack until we fell into the luck situation of discovering Sharpe could play on the wing too. Losing Fitzy was a big one, he dud do much to draw in the defence to allow Ponga, Best and Marzhew space on the left. Equally, Hastings’ fall from grace meant we didn’t have anyone properly directing play, holding the inside men to account and stop them sliding out wide to close out space.
In the situation I think AOB’s change of style and game plan was entirely justified.
mullenmagic
Matthew Gidley
I just find it hard to blame him for not picking a rookie who didn’t even look comfortable at NSW Cup level yet.
Definitely agree that some of his decisions read more like he’s coaching to save himself than thinking of the clubs best interests long term, but from his perspective why wouldn’t he be doing that? For one, the club was actively looking for his replacement last year before the sudden win streak. Despite lasting this long with so little to show for it he clearly knows the seat can get hot fast. Secondly, he had an incentive in his contract this year so long as he avoided finishing in the bottom 4. If he takes a few more "risks" and we end up dropping an extra game or two he would've been in real danger of losing a guaranteed extra year on his contract.
It's frustrating as a fan watching the team just spinning it's wheels in mediocrity every year while the coach is thinking like that though. I thought Seb Su’a should’ve been blooded and given a few more games late in this season with that same logic, and have had similar thoughts on young players in the past, but in this instance I have to agree with him based on what Pryce was showing in reserve grade at the time.
Kurriboy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
Dom came here first year and struggled, but after the second pre season he hit his stride and didn't look back, at least with us.
Will would have had a hell of a time adjusting to everything Australia for the start of last season, no wonder he struggled to perform.
This season he should be much improved.
I’m going to be honest, I just don’t think Pryce is the great player or talent being held back some people make him out to be. We need to remember that this kid was literally struggling to make the FG team in the ESL…so maybe that’s not just him being held back here…yes he has some great highlights, but there’s a lot to playing rugby league, especially as a half…and the highlight reel plays make up a very small % of it.
What I will say is that Pryce has some great raw skills and talent that could be made into a good player. Definitely more so than the other halves we have. I genuinely hope he does, but sadly what I see as being more likely is we continue to work hard with him and then he moves onto another club before we start to see the benefits.
What I will say is that Pryce has some great raw skills and talent that could be made into a good player. Definitely more so than the other halves we have. I genuinely hope he does, but sadly what I see as being more likely is we continue to work hard with him and then he moves onto another club before we start to see the benefits.
Got to remember we're talking about a guy playing 5/8 over a winger where its "catch ball, run fast".
Pryce had/has a helluva job on him to learn how to actually play 6 at nrl level when he barely played it for Huddersfield (Mostly FB)
Learning team pays and the pace of the game itself would have been a helluva gig. He did a great job in the Parra game but then the Raiders game the he had some howler attacking moments that had us lose possession in a tight game, the whole team also was trying to lose that game in a derp fashion.
Then came the Manly and Broncos games which team got smashed. I can;t directly remember Pryce involvements but with the season on life support we needed to go back to something stable. Which is when we went for the Crossland move to 7.
I'm agree it's Pryce at 6 this year to start season IF he has put the work in off season and i going to play to team structures, AOB does need to stick with the halves for the first half of the season but its also on them to DO the work in pre season and perform well in opening rounds and not give him that option.
NB: I am still at a mind that Jye Linnane will be our guy in 2026, especially if he brains it like some of us expect with a full season.
Is a local, loves the Knights, Loves the town, doesn't want to leave.
Les Misérables
Josh Perry
Here's the thing, if Pryce had played more FG throughout the year would he have been better for it? If Seb Sua had played more would he be better for it? Pryce only got picked because AOB had no other options and Sua got a 5 minute debut. Granted he got himself binned but the coach never picked him again.