Will Pryce discussion

He was only weeks too old to play Flegg this year, so he'd be an exciting "prospect" if he wasn't on top 30 money.
Big job for the coaching staff to turn him into the 5/8 we need in one more off season, but he has plenty of potential.
Dobson might be a better coach for him than Griffiths was. Dobson was a very clever and skillful halfback, but not athletic enough for the top grade. Pryce is like the opposite of that.
 
Pryce is still the wildcard in the squad, could be a great foil for Cogger if we end up with no other half in off season, he has a lot to iron out though and yes he is only young.

The area that sticks for me is his apparent $$ he's on, so waiting for him to become NRL quality could be too costly - especially if it ends in losing a junior over him. Him being close to the paying group is great and may end up speeding up his cohesion with the team, I am unsure though if he has the footy intelligence to play as a team player that opens up backline and KP. without maiing shocking attacking choices which he ened up doing in a few of his games.

Personally, whilst he's talented, he's not worth the $$ - which leads me too

Linnane and Loza are better prospects. Linnane is a good pre-season and good first half of the year away from getting an opportunity. That ACL injury was so cruel, cause if he had a full season I think he'd be a genuine 1st grade 5/8 option for next yr. He should be ready for Pre season training, so hopefully goes well.
Loza. few years away, but I really feel Linnane could be a sneaky chance next season. Really is quite the talent
 
So I’ll preface this by saying I’m not going on anything but instinct and vibes after only seeing highlights of the kid, but of all the young fellas I’ve seen get a bit of hype on here, Linnane is the one I’d pump the breaks on the hardest. To me he looks like a textbook version of someone who’s going to hit a wall when he gets to NSW Cup level and starts playing against men.

Player development isn’t linear, and plenty of the time guys who breeze through lower grades and make every junior rep team don’t pan out as well as the guy who has to fight and scrape at every level to even sniff first grade, but yeah I’m not blown away by Jye. I think that running game isn’t going to do the same damage against 25 year olds who’ve spent a lot more time in the gym and if you take that threat away from a teenage half it tends to be very difficult for them to do much damage in the top grade.

I do think Loza has something about him though, a bit of guile, very nice hands.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
So I’ll preface this by saying I’m not going on anything but instinct and vibes after only seeing highlights of the kid, but of all the young fellas I’ve seen get a bit of hype on here, Linnane is the one I’d pump the breaks on the hardest. To me he looks like a textbook version of someone who’s going to hit a wall when he gets to NSW Cup level and starts playing against men.

Player development isn’t linear, and plenty of the time guys who breeze through lower grades and make every junior rep team don’t pan out as well as the guy who has to fight and scrape at every level to even sniff first grade, but yeah I’m not blown away by Jye. I think that running game isn’t going to do the same damage against 25 year olds who’ve spent a lot more time in the gym and if you take that threat away from a teenage half it tends to be very difficult for them to do much damage in the top grade.

I do think Loza has something about him though, a bit of guile, very nice hands.
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The one thing I'm not worried about with Linnane is him competing with men. In Mathews he was the best defender in the team despite being a not very large halfback, because the little guy had unnatural man strength. He sat big props on their backsides.
Last year was his first year of Ball and he was a regular starter in Flegg by the end of the season, and again he was one of the better defenders against guys up to 3 years older.
He did the whole Pre-season this year and was lining up against the firstgraders in opposed sessions, and they wouldn't have let him do that if he was getting smashed.
In short, the little guy has Tom Starling level unnatural strength.
 
I never mentioned his defence. Whether that stands up to higher level competition or not, the question is whether the stuff he's doing with ball in hand is going to create points against adult men with more experience. He's not going to be fast-tracked into a first grade five-eighth jersey as a teenager if they don't think he can really take to it and create points against first grade calibre defences. That would be throwing him to the wolves. On what I've seen, I don't think he's going to absolutely brain NSW Cup straight away like some people on here think he will. I'll actually explain what I mean:

- He's quick, but I don't think he has particularly good balance as a runner from what I've seen. Instances of him bursting through the line and half-stumbling against other teenagers will be him hitting the ground against men. He also does not look that elusive to me. I'll be surprised if he explodes through contact or beats defenders with footwork at the next level.
- A lot of try assists which are just passes to wide open wingers or kicks that come down a fairly long way out from the try line (I don't love his kicking technique), but our outside back is way bigger and stronger so it's a try anyway.
- A lot of telegraphing his options when he passes - I'm betting he'll throw a few intercepts when he gets a decent go in NSW Cup.

Again, I could be totally wrong, I've not sat down and watched him for a full game so I don't know if he has some spectacular ability to read the game which I don't get to get a proper idea of.

To contrast with Loza, a guy where I like what I've seen a bit more:

- Looks very deceptive with both his hands and his eyes - I doubt it's ever clear to a defender whether he's going to his his lead runner, the guy out the back or another option.
- Doesn't look lightning fast, but seems to have very good changes of angle and pace on when he runs the ball or engages the line.
- Have seen him take intercepts - good sign he reads the play well.
- Doesn't look like there's a lot of him, so he'd probably need to build the body in the gym.
- Wasn't blown away by any vision of him I've seen kicking the ball either.
- Does seem a bit casual so I wouldn't be surprised if there's some instances of him doing stuff which doesn't end up looking so slick that I'm not seeing in highlights.
 
Leaving aside the above though, and any renewed optimism I have for Will Pryce making it as a first grader: I do think the priority has to be Pezet.

If we get him back and we think we need Gamble or Cogger out there with a young half to make life easier on them and help their development - the other half should be Pezet over Pryce. Need to get your halfback ready to take the reins. The running five-eighth has to wait until you're at that stage.

Luai waited behind Maloney for a long time because it was what was best for Cleary.

So the trait I'm most concerned about in the future #6 is a good attitude. Patience - a willingness to bide their time for a year or two. This may make it way more likely that Sharpe or Votano is the guy who ends up playing there, simply because it's way easier to fit them into the 17 even if the time isn't right for them to play 6.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
I never mentioned his defence. Whether that stands up to higher level competition or not, the question is whether the stuff he's doing with ball in hand is going to create points against adult men with more experience. He's not going to be fast-tracked into a first grade five-eighth jersey as a teenager if they don't think he can really take to it and create points against first grade calibre defences. That would be throwing him to the wolves. On what I've seen, I don't think he's going to absolutely brain NSW Cup straight away like some people on here think he will. I'll actually explain what I mean:

- He's quick, but I don't think he has particularly good balance as a runner from what I've seen. Instances of him bursting through the line and half-stumbling against other teenagers will be him hitting the ground against men. He also does not look that elusive to me. I'll be surprised if he explodes through contact or beats defenders with footwork at the next level.
- A lot of try assists which are just passes to wide open wingers or kicks that come down a fairly long way out from the try line (I don't love his kicking technique), but our outside back is way bigger and stronger so it's a try anyway.
- A lot of telegraphing his options when he passes - I'm betting he'll throw a few intercepts when he gets a decent go in NSW Cup.

Again, I could be totally wrong, I've not sat down and watched him for a full game so I don't know if he has some spectacular ability to read the game which I don't get to get a proper idea of.
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I would say from the Cup games I seen of Pryce I would say he is more a Kaeon Weeks than say Ezra Mam or Cody Walker who can break the line with their footwork. Whereas with Pryce and Weeks when given space on the outside of their opponents they get through the line with a show and go.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
I never mentioned his defence. Whether that stands up to higher level competition or not, the question is whether the stuff he's doing with ball in hand is going to create points against adult men with more experience. He's not going to be fast-tracked into a first grade five-eighth jersey as a teenager if they don't think he can really take to it and create points against first grade calibre defences. That would be throwing him to the wolves. On what I've seen, I don't think he's going to absolutely brain NSW Cup straight away like some people on here think he will. I'll actually explain what I mean:

- He's quick, but I don't think he has particularly good balance as a runner from what I've seen. Instances of him bursting through the line and half-stumbling against other teenagers will be him hitting the ground against men. He also does not look that elusive to me. I'll be surprised if he explodes through contact or beats defenders with footwork at the next level.
- A lot of try assists which are just passes to wide open wingers or kicks that come down a fairly long way out from the try line (I don't love his kicking technique), but our outside back is way bigger and stronger so it's a try anyway.
- A lot of telegraphing his options when he passes - I'm betting he'll throw a few intercepts when he gets a decent go in NSW Cup.

Again, I could be totally wrong, I've not sat down and watched him for a full game so I don't know if he has some spectacular ability to read the game which I don't get to get a proper idea of.

To contrast with Loza, a guy where I like what I've seen a bit more:

- Looks very deceptive with both his hands and his eyes - I doubt it's ever clear to a defender whether he's going to his his lead runner, the guy out the back or another option.
- Doesn't look lightning fast, but seems to have very good changes of angle and pace on when he runs the ball or engages the line.
- Have seen him take intercepts - good sign he reads the play well.
- Doesn't look like there's a lot of him, so he'd probably need to build the body in the gym.
- Wasn't blown away by any vision of him I've seen kicking the ball either.
- Does seem a bit casual so I wouldn't be surprised if there's some instances of him doing stuff which doesn't end up looking so slick that I'm not seeing in highlights.
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Linnane has always given away several kgs to other players in the junior ranks and pretty much threatens every time. He has serious strength for his size and looks now to put on much needed weight, this will go in his favour. I’ve heard his fitness is almost back up to where he was last preseason, pretty good coming back from ACL and extra weight. Think he will be a surprise packet. Might just need a year at Flegg and Cup first seeing he missed last year. Still very young and plenty of time to develop more.
 
Pryce might get his opportunity to shine now that Cogger has returned to the Panthers. We're running out of halves options in a hurry. Re Cogger I'm sure he'll go well back at the Panthers, as a matter of fact, outside Nathan Cleary who isn't going to go well?
 
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