Dave Craven: '˜Naturally gifted and sublime' - why Leon Pryce should be remembered as one of the finest

Try scorers Leon Pryce and Lesley Vainikolo join the celebrations as Bradford Bulls lift the Grand Final trophy after defeating Leeds Rhinos at Old Trafford in 2005. P: John Giles/PA

Not for anything I may have written about him as such, more for the fact I haven’t actually written about him. Or not enough, anyway.

Due to space constraints, we managed just 49 words referencing his retirement in yesterday’s The Yorkshire Post, far from ideal given his standing as one of Super League’s greatest ever players.

So, I’ve decided to dedicate this column to him today to try and make up for that unfortunate instance. It has to be said, there aren’t really enough words here to do him justice either.

Leon Pryce, scoring a try for Hull FC against Salford City Devils in February last year. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

Anyway, there is no doubting that the former Bradford Bulls, St Helens and Great Britain stand-off has consistently been one of the competition’s finest.

You could label him in the same bracket as Paul Sculthorpe and Sean Long, who he played with at Saints, plus Jamie Peacock and Jimmy Lowes, who he starred with at Odsal, as well as the likes of Kevin Sinfield, an international colleague.

Tall and languid at times, Pryce did not look like a typical No6 but he had all the requisite traits, most notably a game-breaking ability whether a drop of his shoulder, that trademark acceleration or a sublime pass.

It always fascinated me how he could operate in so many positions – let’s not forget he played for his country on the wing and was a more than useful full-back – at such a high level but, then he was naturally gifted.,

Leon Pryce, in action for Great Britain against New Zealand at Ewood Park, Blackburn in November 2002. Picture: PA.

Remarkably, Pryce played in nine Grand Finals, the first of which was with hometown Bradford on his 18th birthday in the 1999 loss to St Helens, the season he was also named Super League’s young player of the year.

He would go on and win three titles during that brilliant Bulls era and another after his move to Saints in 2006. That, also, was the year he came out with the classic line when in Sydney with the Lions that he’d rather be on Blackpool beach than Bondi.

It was so typical of his humour and blunt style and created some priceless reactions from the Aussies. Soon after, Pryce played as Great Britain beat the Kangaroos for the first time in 14 years. They haven’t won since.

A further sign of his big- match temperament is he is one of only three players in the modern era to win both the Harry Sunderland and Lance Todd Trophies as man-of-the-match in the Grand Final and Challenge Cup respectively.

Leon Pryce, in action for Bradford Bulls against Rochdale Hornets earlier this year. Picture: Simon Hulme

It was a surprise, then, he wasn’t used more by Hull FC as they came into the business end last year missing a clinical touch.

After that, Pryce, of course, returned to Odsal as captain of the reformed Bulls but, with knee problems worsening, and the club in dire straits on and off the field, it is perhaps no surprise he has called time early at 35.

Regrettably Pryce, who won five Challenge Cups and three World Club Challenges, was booed off the pitch when substituted in his last game for Bradford last Sunday.

That was no way to depart and it seems bizarre any Bradford fan could act in such a way.

The highs and lows of his fascinating career, though, are chronicled in his autobiography “Pryceless” which is released next month. Thankfully, it’s far longer than 49 words, too.