Will Pryce discussion

Let him find his feet in NSW Cup. The transition from ESL to NRL is a hard one from anyone, let alone a guy who has just turned 21.

If he delivers on his potential and if we need his skill set in the team by mid-season then by all means get him in there.
 
Thieves Like Us said:
Let him find his feet in NSW Cup. The transition from ESL to NRL is a hard one from anyone, let alone a guy who has just turned 21.

If he delivers on his potential and if we need his skill set in the team by mid-season then by all means get him in there.
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He’s not here to be a saviour, to be the great hope for a team with no pre-existing NRL talent ahead of him in the spine, as is the kind of pressure being put on players like Kaeo Weekes and Latu Fainu/Jayden Sullivan. He’ll have two very hard-working, professional guys ahead of him in Cogger and Gamble. He’s here to potentially be the guy to take us from a really good team to a top contender, and he’s not getting that jersey unless his level of performance demands it. I don’t think there’s any doubt he’ll be playing a fair bit of reserve grade before he even sniffs the top grade, injuries permitting.
 
Interesting article in the Herald this morning where Elliott Whitehead says he lived with the Pryce family in the south of France when he played with Catalans and took young Will with him when he went shopping because Will spoke fluent French and he didn't speak a word.

We were told Will lived at home with his parents till he joined us and the impression was he was a bit unworldly, but it turns out he went to school in the south of France and speaks fluent French. The climate in the south of France wouldn't be much different to Newcastle.
 
Billy said:
Interesting article in the Herald this morning where Elliott Whitehead says he lived with the Pryce family in the south of France when he played with Catalans and took young Will with him when he went shopping because Will spoke fluent French and he didn't speak a word.

We were told Will lived at home with his parents till he joined us and the impression was he was a bit unworldly, but it turns out he went to school in the south of France and speaks fluent French. The climate in the south of France wouldn't be much different to Newcastle.
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mon dieu!
 
Interesting that Scott Dureau played nearly 100 games for Catalans between 2011 and 2015 and Leon Pryce played 80 odd games between 2012 and 2014.
I think Scott was still involved with the Knights when we first started talking to Will. He probably knew him well as a kid, given how tightknit the Catalans overseas players all were.
 
Celticman98 said:
Probably won't happen for a while but I've got a feeling once he gets an opportunity at 6, that jersey will be his permanently. Capable of bringing some flair to the halves. Hopefully he can handle the week to week nrl physicality.
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Agree with that. Would be great to have that running threat on both sides of the field with Ponga swinging left and Pryce doing his thing on the right.

As an aside, if Ponga disappears for Origin I wonder if Pryce will get first shot at the #1 jersey. Whilst it would be good to see him in FG I can’t help thinking that the consistency of playing #6 in Cup will help us more in the longer term. Thoughts?
 
Thieves Like Us said:
Agree with that. Would be great to have that running threat on both sides of the field with Ponga swinging left and Pryce doing his thing on the right.

As an aside, if Ponga disappears for Origin I wonder if Pryce will get first shot at the #1 jersey. Whilst it would be good to see him in FG I can’t help thinking that the consistency of playing #6 in Cup will help us more in the longer term. Thoughts?
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I think Pryce is our long term 6, providing he sticks around of course
 
Unless some immediate and drastic change is managed by the current 17, it seems that a Hastings / Pryce combination has the greatest potential to drive change and maximise the offensive output of the the best 17. Maybe not next week, but at some point this season.

Pryce couldn't be much worse than Gamble currently. And lord knows Hastings is a superior halfback to Jack Cogger. The sooner the better.
 
Les Misérables said:
Unless some immediate and drastic change is managed by the current 17, it seems that a Hastings / Pryce combination has the greatest potential to drive change and maximise the offensive output of the the best 17. Maybe not next week, but at some point this season.

Pryce couldn't be much worse than Gamble currently. And lord knows Hastings is a superior halfback to Jack Cogger. The sooner the better.
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I think this is the first time I have whole heartedly agreed with you. I'm waiting for the day, even though I loved 2023 Gamble, Pryce should be alot better
 
Les Misérables said:
Unless some immediate and drastic change is managed by the current 17, it seems that a Hastings / Pryce combination has the greatest potential to drive change and maximise the offensive output of the the best 17. Maybe not next week, but at some point this season.

Pryce couldn't be much worse than Gamble currently. And lord knows Hastings is a superior halfback to Jack Cogger. The sooner the better.
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Wholeheartedly agree on this. Still think you need to give the team time though, it’ll be new combinations again, mostly for Pryce and his outside man, but in the end I feel it’s the way forward for the team. AS LONG as Hastings sorts out his long kicking game. As you can see from Renyolds last night. Think I saw he kicked for 600+ meters!! That’s freaking insane.
 
Aside from Reynolds kicking game neither team went into their shell to play "wet weather footy". Bronx just managed it better then the cows and they dropped the ball A LOT. Also the 10 metres rule was awfully skinny.
 

There’s a video in this link of Pryce being handed his cap by Matt Gidley and a nice speech from his Dad Leon and Will himself. Very touching and just so evident of the reciprocal respect and bond between Will and the playing group. He seems like a real honest and hard working lad which is synonymous with the northerners.

Also, regarding defence, focus and the hero plays we’ve read about from reserves, it’s easy to forget he’s a very young man living away from his family. I remember moving over here at 21. The only discipline I required was to go to work, be a good citizen and wear bags at the weekend. It was a young man’s dream and I had no pressure.

Here we have a young man, flown the other side of the world to play in the toughest comp, away from his family, trying to knit it all together and stay focussed to reach his potential and get the knights up. Quite remarkable and deserves a lot of respect and kudos irrespective of having a really good debut yesterday.

Here’s hoping Will keeps feeling supported and encouraged enough to be himself and bring some X factor into our play.
 
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I don't believe. Finally giving Will a half-chance from the bench. I am still dumb-founded by the selector's unwillingness to chose this player in the run-on team. We all know why! Joey Johns' high opinion of this player goes totally ignored by the selectors. Why is Johns seen as a guru in League circles but totally ignored by the team he gave his all for?? I guess all true supporters know the answer to that one!!
 
Final reserve grade stats:

16 NSW Cup games (13 at five-eighth, 3 at fullback)
6 tries
14 try assists (8 in his last 4 games)
12 line breaks (again 8 in his last 4 games)
36 tackle breaks
107 running metres per game
81.9% tackle efficiency (I’m not a big tackle efficiency guy as a meaningful stat but even I find that an alarming number)
 
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