Ever since I began contributing to this website, I have been staggered at the number of detractors aiming their poison arrows at the Sydney Roosters and NSW halfback, Mitchell Pearce.
It seems to me that Pearce is everyone and their dog’s whipping boy, irrespective of how he is playing, how he has played, or even how he might play sometime down the track.
It might be because he is the son of a very famous Blues captain, one of the best warriors NSW has known.
Perhaps Pearce junior plays for the ‘wrong’ club, has too many tattoos – or isn’t as fast or flashy as the No 7s who have worn the Blue jumper in bygone eras.
I really don’t get it. M. Pearce is not a match-winner in the mould of Queensland’s Johnathan Thurston or Cooper Cronk but then again, how many NSW-born, match-winning halfbacks can you name over the past three or four seasons?
Pearce is as solid as they come: an ultra keen competitor with fine ball skills and a very sturdy defence.
OK, so his kicking game isn’t at the five star level and can get a little predictable, but how many players have been picked around him to perform the kicking duties and have failed dismally against the marauding Maroons? The answer is: plenty.
Plenty of five-eighths have been trotted out in Blues jumpers and somehow left their A Grade kicking games back in club football. There have also been others, wearing jumpers numbered from 9 back to 1.
As I see it, ‘Junior’s junior’ has never been chosen as NSW’s premier tactical kicker.
He has been chosen to be the ideal link man between forwards and backs and his defence has helped keep the likes of Thurston and Cronk relatively quiet as ball runners in the past two series.
I believe Pearce will again be picked as the NSW half on Sunday week. Coach Laurie Daley has already said as much, and good luck to them both.
Daley, one of the great players of the modern era, should know a thing or two about the right type of half-back needed to win big matches. He played outside many of them and if he thinks M. Pearce can do the job, who are we to argue?
Remember, Lozza’s gig as supremo will ultimately swing on his team selections.
And one more thing before I sign off.
Has anyone checked out the Roosters’ form this year? Ah, huh. Running second, just two points behind leaders South Sydney.
Someone must be doing plenty of things well at half-back for the tearaway Roosters line-up.
Pearce has formed a smart combination with ex-Warriors pivot James Maloney. This dynamic duo may well be transferred to the Origin battlefield and produce similar results. Maloney has great form on the board and must surely be at the forefront of the selectors’ thinking.
In the meantime, I can only hope Roarers (and many other critics around town) view Mitchell Pearce on his merits and applaud his selection on Sunday week.
Adam Reynolds, the Souths whiz kid, looks to be a State player of the future but a hefty investment has been made in Pearce as the Blues’ No 7.
And, as stock market watchers know, handsome dividends aren’t always paid in the first year or two.
Maddi
Guest
Pearce has had his chance, and it was very clear in the deciding game last - he is no benefit to the NSW side. Either is Todd Carney. If you cast your mind back to this game that begun the 2013 season, roosters vs. rabbitohs; it was clear Adam Reynolds and John Sutton would be better suited in the blue side. This talk that Reynolds is too immature is a joke, his kicking accuracy is 100,000 times better Than Carney’s and his skill is 100,000 times better than Pearce’s. All I’m saying is Mitchell has had his chance, and he hasn’t delivered on numerous occasions. Give Adam Reynolds a chance and the blues might come out on top.
Clark
Guest
Mate you have surely go to be a Qld with that rubbish or a Souths supporter. I mean most of it I agree with except for one massive outlier.... JOHN SUTTON, I mean seriously, this guy has been the most over rated player for as long as I can remember, he isn't even a five-eigth.
Clark
Guest
Please put Reynolds in, then after that I will be laughing after he fails and as a result is outlawed from Origin like Jared Mullen was. reynolds is only made to look good by the efforts of his forward pack (mainly the british connection) and Greg Inglis (who would be playing against him). Without players like that around him he would get found out, to be honest his form is actually dropping with mistakes coming into his game. The only thing that would justify a change during this series IMO is if the blues get rolled by 30 points then you may say Wayne Pearce's son has enough opportunities to stamp authority in a NSW jumper. You also need to come back to the fact that the last series was decided by a field goal yet people go on like it was a series of three 20 point drubbings.
Blublood
Guest
REYNOLDS REYNOLDS REYNOLDS!
Tru Blu
Guest
What a shame because it's robbed a classic Origin dual of mate agst mate and two great fullbacks in Slater v Inglis.
The Greatest Game Of All
Guest
Or before Gallen has a "Tamou chat" with him.
Tru Blu
Guest
Really!!! Quick someone grab him before Mal has a "Inglis chat" with him!
eagleJack
Guest
That's a tough one actually cause he was born in Mackay but we all know it is irrelevant where you are born for Origin (Thaiday, Gillett, Inglis all born in NSW). He played his junior footy in Adelaide but was picked up by the Raiders and played all his schoolboy league in the Canberra/NSW region. If push came to shove then I think NSW would be able to select him. But so could QLD. Im just happy for him to ply his trade at Manly. Quickest player at the club over 40m. Pretty impressive!
Try Blu
Guest
Lawrence has been good but I think you'll find he's a Qldnder.
Tru Blu
Guest
Cats only have nine lives Tim.
Daniel Szabo
Roar Guru
No, Pearce did not play well. He was rather poor actually. I would prefer Reynolds at halfback, but NSW could do a lot worse than Pearce. My problem is that Pearce, after 9 failed attempts, is an automatic selection, yet Carney, who has less Origin experience and was actually good in last year's series, has to fight for his spot. It's the double standard that ticks me off.
Bearfax
Guest
Surely being blinkered is in the myopia of the beholder Tim.
Bearfax
Guest
I'll elicit from that response a complement of sorts. I hold you in similar regard.
Hez
Roar Rookie
Spot on Mango.
Maroon Blood
Guest
Williams ahead of Greg Bird or Luke Lewis?? That'll do me, give yourself an uppercut matey, you have got to be taking the piss.
Chappy
Guest
Good call ROC, I think Tim's the one with blinkers on.
Selector
Guest
Queensland...... So EagleSack how would you arrange the deckchairs on the sinking ship called NSW?
The eye
Guest
I'd love to see Brenton Lawrence get a bench spot,dreaming I know,but what an athlete,works hard,unbelievable speed and powerful.Wheres James Tamou been so far this year ?
eagleJack
Guest
**Cringe** Helps if you watch the sport you are supposedly a "selector" for.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Tim, is it at all possible you have blinkers too?