English Recruits Watch

The footwork, balance and speed off the mark can't be taught. Has the natural ability to be a special ball runner at any position if he puts in the work to round out the rest of his game. We're coming off a season where it finally looks like we've got a coach/system capable of developing players so there's reason to be optimistic at the moment.

At 20-years old about to head into his first NRL pre-season I'm very interested to see how he looks come round 1, could get a fair bit bigger in just a few months. His dad was a great athlete who also played anywhere in the backline but would've had 10kg+ on Will throughout his career.
 
Defence at centre is my concern. Having not played there recently and up against NRL attack, that's a too bigger ask.

I feel like he's either
"wanna play 1st grade round 1? play wing"
"Wanna be an NRL 5/8? Ply trade in CUP early on"

Gamble had a great yr defensively and attack. He had moment sof lapse in D, but usually made up for it. Mason comments gonna burn within him in off season.

The natural running game of Pryce is very enticing, but does he have enough attacking nouse to let the gameplan work with Hastings and Ponga. Hastings said he played better when Gamble was 5/8 cause he didn't feel like he had to educate him unlike when Ponga was there.

Pyrce "looks' lazy but just could be his casual way... Even if he played wing, he'd have to be keen to make 15+ runs a game straight into the teeth of NRL level defence. Big ask mentally for a young fella.

I think he'll go well as a 5/8, might take a season though. Could see him having as good fist at wing though. Good goal kicker would be a plus too
 
Right centre is probably the hardest position to defend in the NRL. Almost every team attack to the left predominantly and if you’re not adept defending there you can get caught out badly. It’s why I’m pretty certain we won’t be shipping Gags out to wing.
 
mullenmagic said:
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That's some good video.
Obi was right on the podcast when he was asked about Pryce's possition, he said he is footballer, we will see what he can do in the preseason and find a spot for him.

There was a few good try savers in that video that I haven't seen before. Some nice kicks for try assists.

I think he will start his NRL career off the bench.
Obviously could be back up 1or 6. He may have a go in the centres and see how his D goes.
If he keeps getting bigger he could be a ball playing lock.

Is their comp over? Will these two be coming over soon?
 
Pryce is done and should be here for start of pre-season with the other young blokes.

KPP’s Wigan a great shot at a grand final, have their prelim this weekend and then the GF the weekend after I believe. Then England play 3 games vs Tonga and he’s a great shot at getting picked for those.
 
mullenmagic said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1709866860563357817

Seems a long shot that he’ll actually get in the 17 so not sure how this will affect his preseason. If it’s just sitting around on standby hopefully he realises getting a full preseason will do him more good.
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Performance squad will be a big group (30+ at a guess unless they don't include all incumbents) that has a camp in the week/fortnight prior to the test series.

Would be pretty shocked if he made the actual squad for the series v Tonga.

KPP would be odds-on to make the squad but I have some doubt that he'll be in the first 17. Likely 18th man every game but could come into calculations if an edge or two goes down.
 
I watched about 28 minutes of Wigan's game last night before I flaked out. Nothing to judge KPP by, Wigan were up 18-6 at that point and all over them. KPP hadn't touched the ball and made about three tackles.
 
Yeah was pretty similar to Knights v Warriors in the finals. Wigan scored twice in the opening 5 minutes before Hull KR had even touched the ball and never felt like they were in any danger after that.

Wigan v Catalans in the GF next week.
 
Interview with KPP from after the grand final says he's been given a 'rough hint' from Shaun Wane that he'll be in the England squad.


Bit on the Knights move:

Pearce-Paul will then embark on his new career down under alongside rising star Will Pryce, with the pair having both signed two-year contracts from 2024.

Neither knew that the other had signed until both deals were done, with Pearce-Paul excited to earn his chance in the NRL in a move that will see him also link up with former Wigan team-mate Jackson Hastings.

“I know Will Pryce,” Pearce-Paul said. “The rough plan is to get over there together and stay in the same place.

“I chat to him most days. I played for England Knights with him but we’ve always been friends and once we found out we were heading to Newcastle Knights, we started chatting a bit more.

“He’s a good mate of mine and I can’t wait to go over there with him.”
 
Les Misérables said:
Just watched the first half, defended well, but I only saw him take a single carry, a tackle in which he was lifted beyond horizontal and got a penalty..

He looks pretty good though
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Yeah he had a bit more attacking involvement in the second half, beat the first defender quite often, made a clean break when nothing was really happening and created some more second phase.

Only real concern remains his awkward body shape, he's still very lanky and runs quite upright. Fortunately does have footwork to get away with it while he builds size but will need to learn how to run into some of the bigger and stronger bodies in a set NRL defensive line - forwards tend to be not as well built over there (Burgii are the genetic freak exception) probably due to the lack of Islander diaspora.
 
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