Treyvon Pritchard’s composure for one so young struck his new teammates at the Queensland Reds at about the same time as some of his X-factor moves at pre-season training.
What some saw as a gamble on a young back just months removed from Year 12 at Churchie is now seen as a shrewd move that makes total sense.
Off the bench, he will play his seventh game for the Reds tonight against older brother Kadin and the ACT Brumbies at Suncorp Stadium when the Rod Macqueen Cup goes on the line.
Pritchard has had his 19th birthday since they locked horns in Canberra in March in a thriller that will be hard to top as an Australian derby in 2026.
The younger Pritchard hasn’t forgotten the playful moment when he was tackled in cover defence and Kadin thought it was the right time to revert to the backyard rules of their youth.
“It’s around getting him back for rubbing my head into the ground,” Treyvon said with a smile.
“I’m going to try to get one-up on him again. Of course, the most important thing is just focusing on the game and how we’re leading into it after a good week.”
Pritchard feels the extra confidence from averaging over 30 minutes a game in his debut season of Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific.
Certainly, a whole lot more fans from across the competition noted his timing and class with that backhanded flick pass for the Tim Ryan try at Super Round in Christchurch.
“My comfort has grown a lot as the season’s gone on. I’ve been lucky enough to get a couple of games on the trot now so I’m getting more used to it,” he said.
The sibling rivalry will be just one eye-catching feature of a terrific match-up with both sides smarting and chasing bigger performances after losses at Super Round.
“They’re a quality side and we’ve had some close run-ins over the years,” Reds captain Fraser McReight said.
“That’s especially so after last weekend with both of us wanting to get another win on the board. It’s going be a battle.”
McReight respects what Pritchard is building as a young winger at the Reds.
“He’s got no ceiling at the moment. He can keep it going. He’s performing really well and it’s just about understanding what his strengths are and improving those, while also improving his weaknesses and his understanding of the game.
“He’s surrounded by some really good people here, coaches and players who can really help develop him. That’s exciting for Queensland rugby, and also Australian rugby.
“He comes on, finds a bit of space, creates space. He’s young, athletic so he’s been building really nicely.”
Kadin has too with 10 starts for the Brumbies this season as a regular.
