Peter Hood reckons rugby union misfit Karl Pryce has to make the most of his "fortunate" second shot at Super League.

The powerful young centre only left Bradford for the big-money lure of Gloucester last October.

However now, just over a year later, Pryce has already returned to league with Wigan after playing only a handful of matches in the 15-man game.

"It's great to see Karl coming back to rugby league," said Bulls chairman Hood.

"Clearly it wasn't working out for him at Gloucester for whatever reason but he's fortunate in the sense that he's come back to a top rugby league club in Wigan.

"He is very fortunate really to have another opportunity in Super League. Wigan had space left on their cap while many clubs don't and it's been handed to him on a plate.

"It's up to him now to seize that opportunity. Karl's a superb athlete with all the physicality, athleticism and natural sporting ability that millions of young men would die for.

"He's been blessed in his genes and showed tremendous promise playing for our A team, while I remember one or two sparkling performances for the first team too.

"But now he has to make the most of this move. I hope Karl does and I hope he does really well there - except when Wigan are playing us!"

Pryce scored 34 tries in 52 games at Bradford without ever securing a regular spot.

The Bulls had offered him a new deal last year and, under RFL rules, will now receive around £30,000 compensation from the Warriors, having retained the 21-year-old's registration when he left Odsal.

There had been some panic in the rugby league world with young talents like Pryce, Great Britain centre Chev Walker and England full back Chris Ashton all switching codes over the last year, prompting fears of a player-drain to cash-rich union.

But Walker turned his back on Bath just ten months into a lucrative three-year deal, signing for Hull KR, and now Pryce has done likewise.

Hood reckons their ill-fated dalliances with union will act as a warning to others tempted by the financial gains.

He said: "I think any player now would be advised to think twice. It's not just the football or financial element but the relocation too.

"It can be quite a challenge moving away from home at a young age. Some see it as a positive, and it is character-building, but others don't."

Hood added: "I think there is a constant threat from rugby union but recently it's been more of a dripping tap than a full-on flood.

"It still does send alarm bells out. Some people are concerned that, with Super League set to go to 14 clubs, there may be too many clubs and not enough quality players to go around anyway and rugby union clubs are poking around too.

"But it's up to the Rugby League to counter this. It's not only rugby union who can search around. We could look at football. There'll be so many great athletes at 13, 14 and 15 years old playing the round-ball game; maybe we should be trying to get them to switch to league and get a new influx of talent ourselves.

"If our sport could tap into the nation's culture a bit better than it is, any threat from union would soon be diminished."

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