Quote: FearTheVee "What makes you say that?'"
It's too inexperienced a combination and neither player has shown an ability to consistently direct a game round at SL level, though I think Eastmond has the ability if given the responsibility. At least Pryce brings more experience to the role and I'd rather him be a steady influence and a grow as a combination with Eastmond.
I also think Pryce has been unfairly maligned and used as a scapegoat as an easy excuse for last year. We struggled in attack because we expected him to become a more creative player than he is, he's a runner and can be a devastating one given good ball. In a lot of respects I feel he was used as a scapegoat for Long being abysmal for most of the year (I understand he had a serious injury, but that doesn't alter the fact he was very poor), because Long was a fan favourite and Pryce isn't.
Wheeler has shown good moments in the first team, but I'd be using him as first choice centre next year to so he gains more first team experience. I also feel that people are falling into the same trap as thay did with Tyrer with him, i.e. they've heard he's good in the reserves so he must be in the first team ASAP. He's only had limited opportunities in the first team at half back and he was more solid than spectacular (which is to be expected). The first game we lose with those two at half back will start the bandwagon rolling on how they aren't good enough. This reaction to Pryce is an example. He's won us more games than he's lost us, been good in more big games than he's been poor, yet people want him replaced by a 20 year old rookie they've barely seen in the position at this level because he didn't single handedly win us the Grand Final.
This is not me saying that I think Wheeler will never become a 6 for us, I just think it's too early for him at the moment.