Hull FC’s maverick stepped up when they needed him most.
Will Pryce was one of Hull FC’s standout performers. (Image: Dave Lofthouse, Hull FC)
Sport is all about big players standing up when they’re needed most, and for Hull FC, that big player was Will Pryce.
The fiery full-back vowed in pre-season to take his game to the next level this year, and playing in front of a huge 16,653 crowd at the MKM Stadium, he did just that. Fully fit once again, Pryce has been one of Hull’s leaders throughout their winter training schedule, and in the opening round of Super League, he didn’t disappoint.
In what was an entertaining game on Saturday evening that swung one way, then the other, and back again, Pryce’s big moments ensured Hull were victorious over Bradford Bulls on Saturday night, ensuring John Cartwright’s side are up and running with a 27-20 victory.
Landing the decisive drop goal before Cade Cust sealed the win with a late try, Pryce stepped up – and against his hometown club, boy did he enjoy it. In the first half, he also assisted two tries in what was an eye-catching and influential display.
Elsewhere, Sam Lisone was impressed with his impact from the bench but truth be told, Hull weren’t firing on all cylinders throughout the match. Missing John Asiata, they were clunky with the ball but they eventually got the job done – and that’s all that matters.
Bradford, back in the Super League for the first time in 4172 days, played their part. Kurt Haggerty promised an expansive and entertaining side in 2026 and that’s exactly what the Bulls were. They moved the ball well and caused Hull numerous problems on what was another dramatic night in what has been a soaring opening Super League round.
Already without four key overseas forwards, Hull – who before the game unveiled the Johnny Whiteley East Stand in a fitting tribute to their greatest-ever player – were dealt a further injury blow pre-match, with new half-back Jake Arthur ruled out with a hamstring strain, but they didn’t let it faze them, even if it was Bradford, with their two ex-FC players Jayden Okunbor and Connor Wynne on the wings, who started with a bang.
It was Okunbor’s role in a kick contest that paid dividends for Bradford, who got the ball back after a video referee decision, and while that was the winger’s last involvement, going off the field due to injury, they made the opportunity count as Waqa Blake burst through a gap to score after a Zac Fulton offload.
Hull hit back through Joe Batchelor, with Pryce taking the line on, evading tackles, and kicking through for the back rower to chase and score. But it was Bulls who started fast and soon hit the lead again, with Blake attacking the line and offloading for Wynne to race away in a clear dash to the line.
That Bradford flurry seemed to spark Hull into life, with Pryce turning provider again for Harvey Barron to score in the corner after a fiery cut-out pass. Hull then put some daylight between the two sides before the half-time break as Aidan Sezer’s pass found Davy Litten, who broke through a couple of tackles to score.
Hull had an eight-point lead at the start of the second half but it was the spirited Bulls who fought back to level the game again. They scored again through Wynne out wide, with the winger having a clean run to the line again, and after Mines levelled the scores up with a penalty goal, it was very much game on.
Going into the final twenty minutes, the Bulls then took the lead through another Mines penalty goal, with Sezer taking Joe Mellor high – and it was no less than what they deserved.
Hull, who had to scramble hard to produce three consecutive try-saving tackles through Lewis Martin, Pryce, and Zak Hardaker, drew level again through a Pryce penalty goal, and it was Pryce who then slotted over the drop goal to give Hull the lead. He showed the composure, slicing the ball through the sticks, with Cust’s dart to the line after a Liam Knight offload adding the gloss to a relieving and pretty satisfying victory.