Newcastle rookie Will Pryce had a debut to remember after the Knights rolled the Eels 34-26 on Saturday night.
The 21-year-old scored his first NRL try in front of a delighted home crowd at McDonald Jones Stadium, which included his legendary father Leon.
In the 22nd minute, Pryce opened the scoring for the Knights after being sent over by Daniel Saifiti next to the posts.
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The English recruit was quickly swarmed by his teammates in celebration as cameras showed his dad beaming with pride in the stands amongst family and friends.
“What a fantastic moment, Will Pryce — on debut — his NRL debut, scores a fantastic try,” Penrith great Greg Alexander said on Fox League’s coverage.
“Boy he hit that pass at speed and it carried him into the in-goal, the legs tackle was a good one. As he caught the ball, Dylan Brown hit him but Will Pryce was travelling [so] quickly that the momentum just carried him into the in-goal.
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“His dad must be loving watching this up in the stands.”
Leon Pryce — a former professional rugby league player for the Bradford Bulls — played in four Super League premierships and the 2002 World Club Challenge victory against the Knights.
After a ritualised handshake with teammate Bradman Best, Pryce also provided a pearler of an on-field interview after the match where he accidentally dropped the F-bomb during live coverage.
“Honestly, the toughest 80 minutes so far in my career. I love this place, I love this city, this club, my f—ing best mate here (Best), f—,” he told Fox League.
“Oh sorry for swearing, oh my god sorry. The things these boys do for me, the way they’ve just turned out in this game was exceptional.
“This is the pinnacle of rugby league. This is where I belong.”
Asked how he fared watching his son from the sidelines, Leon, who played 492 Super League games and represented England and Great Britain 24 times, admitted he was nervous.
“It was horrific, so nerve-wracking I didn’t want to watch, I was shaking,” he said.
“But overall just so proud and happy and so blessed to be here to be at the ground and watch him live.
“I’m so happy for him, he deserved it. Everybody worked hard — I’m over the moon for him, the club and his teammates. Amazing.”
Pryce joined the Knights from the Huddersfield Giants ahead of the 2024 season.