Huddersfield Giants v Catalans Dragons: Time right for teenager Will Pryce to step up declares coach Ian Watson

The 18-year-old England Academy stand-off will make his senior debut for the injury-ravaged club when they host Super League leaders Catalans Dragons

At the same age, his dad Leon played for Bradford Bulls in the 1999 Grand Final against St Helens, one of the clubs the prodigious talent would go on to grace in a glittering career which also saw Great Britain representation.

With Aidan Sezer, Jack Cogger and Lee Gaskell all injured, Pryce Junior has been thrust into the Giants side and Watson is “excited” by the prospect who, according to those who know him, is already confident and assured.

“I expect to see just that - confidence,” said his coach.

“I just want him to be Will. I just want him to play his game.

“He’s trained with us more or less all year. The Academy staff have all been really impressed with him since he’s come back and how’s he maturing into a really good team player.

“We just want him to develop on top of that and grow his game.

“There’ll probably be eyes on him because of his name and who his dad was but we just want Will to look forward to playing the game his own way.

“He’s got unbelievable ability and is a good, good kid. We were a little concerned with whether we were a bit too early with him but he played for the Academy on Sunday and came into train with us again Monday.

“If we’d not trained him then we probably wouldn’t have made the call but he showed up really well in that session and the amount of detail he took in was really professional.

“He’s just shown he’s ready so there’s no point holding him back. It’s a real good chance for us to develop his career now.”

And Giants certainly do need some good news; Watson revealed yesterday that Darnell McIntosh has played his last game for the club after rupturing an Achilles tendon, Joe Wardle is also out for the year, captain Aidan Sezer will miss at least two months and hooker Adam O’Brien will do well to play again in 2021.

Furthermore, prop Matty English needs to see a specialist about ongoing concussion issues.