If Leon Pryce does, as is rumoured, sign for Catalans how long can you see him staying in Southern France?

Without his mates, not being able to speak the language and a different culture, I'd give him 3 months maximum before the "homesickness and family issues" excuses start being sounded.

Any views?

I dont think he will go. leon wont move from bradford.

Well if an Aussie who has traveled 10k miles on a 12 hour flight can do it, I'm sure a guy who lives only a 2 1/2 hour plane ride away can. Would be quite a lifestyle playing and living there.

Saying that, was it not Leon who also said he prefered Blackpool Beach to Bondi?

Is there a bus from Queensbury?

I think you my be correct Mr Bulls4Champs2010, he does strike me as a real home bird. That said if and its a big if he does sign for them I can see it all ending in tears pretty quickly.

The beaches around Perpignan & Narbonne are fabulous (maybe not up to Bondi) but I can still see Leon preferring the Fylde coast!!

yes, he got some stick for that.

The Bondi comment was tongue in cheek. Leon will go where the money is, simple as.

Don't forget they usually do two games here and two in France. I don't know where they where their usual base in England is but I'll bet Leon has a go of getting them to use Emsley's Rec, very handy from Wibsey, just a quick jog down the hill as a warm up!

The thing is, I know there's lots of people who'd like to see us sign Pryce but for me I think it'd be a step in the wrong direction.

Yes, when fit and on form Leon is a dangerous player. But he's barely been near a rugby ball this year and he's pushing 30 and even with his homegrown status adding to his signability he's likely to demand a large salary, a salary which would be better spent on improved deals for our young lads coming through.

I think a lot of people's judgement on him is based on those pink tinted clouds of "well he was here when we were good, therefore him coming back will make us good again"

So, if he's getting a big deal to play for Catalands then I say good luck to the guy

We need to sign some real quality now and Leon is that.

I have to agree. Yes it would have been great to have got Leon back a couple of years earlier but he is still a very good SL stand off. If Connor is right and he is off elsewhere, we'll do well to attract a similar or better quality 6 IMO.

DP

Pretty much agree with that.

If he goes to France it means one year minimum before that return to Odsal could be brought about, and who knows where our priorities will lie at that point?

I don't agree with this at all. We were good when Robbie Paul was at the club but I haven't heard any calls for his return.

I just wonder how realistic people are being. Where is this top class 6, who is younger than Pryce going to come from? The only player that immediately springs to mind is Ratchford. A decent player but with teams like Wire sniffing around him our chances look unlikely. If we did sign Ratchford, we might also pay over the odds given the amounts of clubs reportedly chasing him.

Perhaps the club have an ace up their sleeve, I certainly hope we don't look back in 12 months time regretting not going in for Pryce.

Ratchford is not top class.

I wasn't suggesting he was.

If I were a Bulls fan, I'd be wary of getting Pryce back. It's clear he's quality when he's on the field, but he's not played much in the last year or two, and (I would expect) he would take far too big a slice of your SC.

It's not worth signing him if it costs you some of the good young forwards you have coming through.

Isn't it only this season where he has had injury problems?
I though last season he played most of their games, and when he plays he is one of the best stand-offs in the league.

He should be back in a week or two (I think) and it will be interesting to see how he goes for the rest of the season.

If we can afford him and he's fit then it's a no brainer, get him signed.

Pryce was the best in the competition when fit and on form. I'd imagine there are still several seasons left in him. I don't think he really fulfilled his potential until he went to Saints, so I don't buy the argument that he won't be as good as when he was at the Bulls before. Given the existing links with the player (remember Orford?), this one is really a no-brainer. Whether or not he will come is another matter though - personally I would head to France!

I think you're right, I'm sure he's had the odd knock but he's not had too many lengthy injuries.

As per other posters, if he's available, sign him up

Are you talking about Pryce?

Agree with all those saying we should sign him. He's the best English player available.

Digressing a bit, but I wonder if McNamara would have been given the position of head coach if it wasn't for Pryce going on about how the GF run in 2005 was all down to Steve Mac?