“It’s Grand Final season,” says Leon Pryce and he should know. Although a staunch Yorkshireman through and through, the 34-year-old could have conceivably bought a second home in M16 given his affiliation with Old Trafford throughout his career, and he has his eyes on one last tilt at Super League’s showpiece event in 2016 before his top-flight career comes to an end.
Yet as he watched his Hull FC team-mates lift the
Challenge Cup at Wembley last weekend, Pryce could have been forgiven for thinking one last chance at the Grand Final may have fallen by the wayside. With Carlos Tuimavave preferred at stand-off, Pryce has made only one appearance in the last two months – but on Friday he will get an opportunity to show the Hull coach, Lee Radford, his worth before the run-in to Old Trafford. Pryce returns to the fray at St Helens following Radford’s decision to rest up a number of their Wembley heroes following the 12-10 win over Warrington.
Only two players – Jamie Peacock and Paul Wellens – have played in more Grand Finals than Pryce and he is determined to add one more to his CV before leaving Hull for Bradford next year. “I’m excited for the next part of the season,” he said. “The team are highly motivated now and it’s going to be a big test for us at St Helens but there’s everything to play for. It’s Grand Final season, this is what you want to play for.
“Every player retains an ambition to win things throughout their career and I’m no different. If you don’t have that desire, what’s the point? I’m realistic that the team has been successful and that makes it difficult to get in but I’m also promising I’ll be giving it my all between now and when I leave.”
Pryce admits his exile from the team has been tough to deal with. “It’s been really difficult, as it’s probably the first time in my career where I’ve been out for so long,” he said. “However, I’ve taught myself to stay positive and be realistic; I’ve been around for a long time and this is something that happens to every player at the back end of their career, I guess.
“It’s been difficult to come to terms with but it’s important to remember the team has had tremendous success and I’ve just been honoured to be involved with the group throughout that time, playing or not.
“I missed out on a Grand Final with St Helens [in 2011] but I was injured for most of the year, so that was kind of expected. This is the first big game where I’ve had to sit on like this and watch. In a selfish way I was disappointed not to be involved, but I was delighted for the boys who’ve never won at Wembley before.”
Any talk of 2017 and promotion from the Championship with his boyhood club is on the back burner for now, with the treble in the crosshair of Pryce and Hull. “Before Bradford I’ve got business to finish off at Hull,” he said. “The fans have been incredible with me and I can assure them I’ll be giving my all for them between now and the last time I pull that shirt on.
“I’ve not been playing recently and for the rest of this season my aim is to try to help the squad achieve something special however I can. If that’s as a first-team starter than great but if it’s as a squad player then so be it.”
The Challenge Cup winners have not backed up Wembley triumph with victory in their following Super League game since Warrington did it in 2012 – and the last time Hull won the cup in 2005, they were hammered 49-6 at Bradford the following week.
Pryce was on the opposing team that night but if he plays a pivotal role for Hull on Friday, that fairytale ending may not be beyond him in his final weeks as a Hull player.
