08 January 2023 , 12:25
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As one of the best half-back partnerships of their generation, they tore defences up together for St Helens and Great Britain.
But now Super League greats Sean Long and Leon Pryce are plotting to bring opponents to their knees again as coaches. Ex- Man of Steel Long, 46, took over at Featherstone Rovers ahead of the forthcoming season after leaving his role as Leeds Rhinos assistant. It’s the decorated scrum-half’s first head coach gig and he knew just who he wanted alongside him.
Pryce, 41, helped Long drive Saints to trophies galore in their glory days. And he was seen as the perfect pick as his assistant at big-spending Championship outfit Featherstone. Have they been rolling back the years in training together ahead of the February 6 big kick-off?
Long admitted: “Yes. We keep reminiscing and bringing up stuff about what we did! It’s brilliant. Leon’s a good guy, was a great player, is very intelligent and it’s good to get back working with him. We’re coaches now but it doesn’t feel any different to when we partnered as players because we both have the same idea of how we want to play. That’s not just in attack but also in how we defend.”
Much of that is down to the influence of Daniel Anderson, the brilliant Aussie coach who led their Saints side to the treble in 2006. He was rushed to hospital in New South Wales last week after suffering a freak surfing injury which reportedly left him on a ventilator. Long said: “I heard straight away the other day about that. I’ve spoken to a few people in Australia.
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“We’re all hoping for good news and I wish him all the best. When people say I’ve worked under some good coaches in my career I always refer to Daniel Anderson. Me and Leon got coached by him and, for me, he was the best coach. We bring stuff up now with how we played under Daniel and we’re always on the same page regarding how we attack. I lead the defence side more at Fev but we bounce ideas off each other and the boys are all buying in.”
Featherstone Rovers assistant coach Leon Pryce (Featherstone Rovers)But Long knows the pressure is on him. Ruthless Featherstone chairman Mark Campbell has got through SEVEN coaches in just nine years unsuccessfully trying to get his expensively-assembled team into Super League.
And Long replaces four-times Grand Final winning boss Brian McDermott who stood down after a disastrous play-off exit against part-timers Batley in his sole season at the helm. Does that all intimidate him?
Long insisted: “No, not at all. It’s part and parcel of the job. I’ve known Mark a long time - since 2012 - and I’m actually mates with him! I know him personally as well as professionally so I know what he’s like. He just wants to win. We all do. He’s so passionate about Featherstone Rovers and this community. He gets a bit upset when they don’t win. As an owner you do. But I don’t feel any pressure.”