Matt Prior: Richard Agar on how the prop is leading the charge for Leeds Rhinos
Leeds head coach Richard Agar explains the impact experienced forward Matt Prior is making for the team. Watch the Rhinos take on Catalans Dragons in Super League on Friday, live on Sky Sports Arena from 7.30pm (kick-off 7.45pm)
Friday 9 July 2021 08:58, UK
The bare statistics from Matt Prior's player of the match performance in Leeds Rhinos' 22-16 win over Warrington Wolves on Monday night tell their own story.
In a 71-minute shift in the front row, the prop racked up 130 metres and 51 post-contact metres with the ball in hand, and broke five tackles with an average gain of 9.3 metres. He also completed 35 of 36 attempted tackles, just one of which was deemed ineffective.
To put his performance into some more context though, Prior did that in what was his third start for the Rhinos in the space of nine days - not to mention having also turned out for the Combined Nations All Stars in their win over England on June 25.
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Added to that was the fact Leeds had to see out the win over Warrington with 11 men on the field after Liam Sutcliffe and Robert Lui were sin-binned. Yet for head coach Richard Agar, it is just what he has come to expect from Prior.
"Mentally, Matty is very strong, resilient experienced guy and he can do it under pressure," Agar said.
"The other night (against Warrington) he said he was rattled and gone, but when you look at his performance after those first 20 minutes and what he did in the second half, you just marvel at what he does.
"The big bonus for us is he's such a no-nonsense, low-fuss, low-maintenance, humble type of guy. He's a great team man, the boys think the world of him, and he's been a wonderful signing.
"Playing in the front row and throwing in the extra game he had with the Combined Nations, the way he's turning up and leading the team is pretty phenomenal really."
That durability is part of the reason why Prior, who joined the Rhinos from Cronulla Sharks for the start of last season and helped them lift the Challenge Cup in 2020, was signed.
A veteran of over 250 NRL matches and a State of Origin appearance for New South Wales, his experience along with that of New Zealand international Zane Tetevano and Cumbrian back row James Donaldson is proving invaluable for the younger members of the Leeds pack.
Agar enthused about Prior's defensive attributes as well, revealing how he is given leeway to occasionally operate outside of the Rhinos' structure because it suits his style of play better.
The big bonus for us is he's such a no-nonsense, low-fuss, low-maintenance, humble type of guy. He's a great team man, the boys think the world of him, and he's been a wonderful signing.
"We bought Matty because where we were at as a team, we felt the qualities Matt would give us in terms of his durability, his engine and his ability to lead the line-speed," Agar said.
"Matty, at times, isn't a textbook defender, but he's a very good defender. He doesn't always look pretty and there are times he probably dives out of the system a little bit, but he's such a smart and experienced player that he makes it work for him.
"We allow him to do that and we wouldn't allow everyone to do that, but somehow he makes it work for him and some of his tackles - probably a little bit because of his body shape - aren't always textbook, but my word he's a good defender."
At 34, Prior is coming into the latter stages of his playing career, but Agar and Leeds are keen to tie him down to a new contract, with the head coach confirming talks have been taking place with the player and his agent.
The continued development of Tom Holyroyd and the return of King Vuniyayawa from a spell out due to concussion mean Agar is likely to be able to reduce the workload on one of his key men in the coming weeks too.
But for now, the Wollongong-born forward is happy to keep doing whatever is asked of him and is set to go again when the Rhinos take on Super League leaders Catalans Dragons at Emerald Headingley, live on Sky Sports.
"We're conscious we don't want to flog him to death, but it's a real testament and quite remarkable really that a guy who has played first-grade for so long, in the middle of the field and soaks up the bulk of the hammer for us, is churning out performances like he is at this moment in time," Agar said.
"I saw him Thursday morning and asked if he was good to go and whether he's happy to start, and he said: 'No problem'. Touch wood, he'll throw us another eight or nine out of 10 performance against Catalans."
