You are in > manchester.com  > News > Pryce claims Saints' health could decide Super League title

Rugby League

Pryce claims Saints' health could decide Super League title

14/04/2008

St Helens stand-off Leon Pryce claims the Super League team with the fewest injury worries this season will have the best chance of winning the title.

Speaking after his side got their stuttering season back on track with a 58-12 win over Harlequins at Knowsley Road - their first win in four games - Pryce said it was important for the club to remain healthy.

First-team stars Nick Fozzard, Lee Gilmour, James Graham and Keiron Cunningham have all been out injured recently.

And many pundits have claimed their absence has been one of the main reasons for last year's grand final runners up struggling so far in 2008.

Pryce says that while Saints have struggled to convert winning positions into victories of late, he "always felt [the team] have not been far away from playing well".

"With the amount of injuries we've had this year - and sometimes making defensive mistakes that we're not really used to making - we've made it very hard for ourselves," he continued.

"I think this year's competition will be about who can keep their best team on the field and stay injury-free.

"Whoever can do that has the best chance of winning the most games because the teams who have picked up quite a lot of injuries have struggled."

Pryce pointed to the fellow injury-hit squads of Hull FC and Bradford Bulls, who have also struggled so far this season.

Hull are currently second-from-bottom with just three wins from their opening 11 matches while Bradford - one of the preseason title favourites - have struggled to stay in the top six playoff positions with just six wins from their 11 games.

"You look at Hull and ourselves and Bradford, we've all struggled when we've had injuries, so it's tough," he continued.

"But we'll get on with it and hopefully our young kids will come in and do a job for us and when we get our big boys back we'll be confident of winning more games."