It is Saturday night and a young couple are wrapping their child’s birthday present – a brand-new New South Wales State of Origin jumper, which will be opened in the morning and cherished forever.
Like many families, they are struggling financially but still fork out $100 for the kid’s replica jersey. That kid goes to bed smiling, because he knows that Blues jumper will be his when he wakes up the next day.
For the next week he’ll be in the backyard wearing his sky blue jersey, swerving like Jarryd Hayne, kicking like Robbie Farah and diving over imaginary try lines like Brett Morris.
That kid doesn’t know about bills or mortgages yet. All he cares about is how good that jersey feels when he puts it on.
A world away from that suburban backyard, in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, is the glamorously volatile cacoon of professional rugby league. While families are scraping together $100 for birthday presents in suburbia, incumbent NSW halfback Mitchell Pearce has the difficult task of deciding whether to hit the town ten days out from Origin selection or stay home.
Pearce decides to head out.
Whether or not Pearce has a case to answer for the incident is an argument for somebody else. Perhaps nothing will come of it and normality will return for Pearce, the Sydney Roosters and the young woman.
The Roosters issued a statement on Sunday afternoon.
The Sydney Roosters have been made aware that Mitchell Pearce was issued with an infringement notice for failure to quit a licensed premises overnight.
The infringement notice was issued and the fine paid. The Roosters have advised the NRL’s Integrity Unit.
From here, the club will address the matter internally and will be making no further comment.
The problem is the fact Pearce was out at all just days before he was set to be named in Laurie Daley’s squad.
Why now Mr Pearce? Are you not worried at all about the predicament your state is in?
What about how desperate we are to not let the Queenslanders win a ninth straight series?
Blake Ferguson, James Tamou, Josh Dugan and now Pearce. It reeks of arrogance.
If Pearce isn’t embarrassed enough as it is, let’s just remember who his father was.
Wayne Pearce was and still is a man of honour, loyalty and respect. ‘Junior’ was a workhorse who spilt blood for NSW in 16 outings for his beloved state and will forever be remembered as the first Blues captain to lead NSW to a 3-0 series whitewash, in 1986.
The halfback may well be cleared by police but Daley should drop him on principle. Would Johnathan Thurston or Cooper Cronk be so stupid to find themselves in Kings Cross at 1.30am on a Sunday morning on the eve of Origin?
When the Blues finally do break this Origin streak it will be because of a special group of New South Welshmen who know what they’re fighting for. It can’t be won by guys like Pearce, who would prefer to run the gauntlet of Kings Cross rather than prepare for the first State of Origin match on May 28th.
To make matters worse for Pearce is the fact that he and a number of other Roosters players were asked to leave Clovelly Hotel hours prior to their ill-fated trip to the Cross. Reports suggest Pearce and rising star Boyd Cordner became aggressive toward staff when given the punt. The decisions made by Pearce aren’t those of a future club captain or a 7 who can help conquer the mighty Maroons.
While Pearce licks his wounds in Bondi, a state is fuming.
Already on shaky ground with most NSW supporters, this is undoubtedly the last straw for frustrated Blues fans. Playing rugby league for a living and being selected for your state is more than just a job, it’s a privilege. It’s for people like Pearce’s dad, that kid in the backyard in his new Blues jumper, and anyone else who has lived through the torture of the last eight years.
Life is a series of choices and you are judged by the choices you make.
Pearce put himself into a position where he should be judged by all of us and he has made it abundantly clear that he doesn’t respect the sky blue jumper or what it stands for.
Gary McDonald
Guest
so still I have no answer to this can Mictehll or the roosters claim the fine as a tax deduction?
Tax Man
Guest
You are right Donations to Charities over $2 are tax deductable - unfortunately we have to review your tax returns from years ago over many years as paper used to stem bleeding from electric razor cuts are not tax deductable even if you are a little aussie bleeder from Wollongong :-)
Gary McDonald
Guest
any donation to a charity is tax deductible I think this is fair question that has nothing to do speeding and parking fines??? "THE Sydney Roosters have slapped halfback Mitchell Pearce with a ... Pearce's fine will be paid to charity"
Barfly
Guest
lol agree fully Paul..............GO THE BLUES...........
duecer
Guest
Or alternatively, Policeman says time to go Mitchell, although thinking he's done nothing wrong, realises that he's in the public eye and this could escalate into an arrest, so decides to follow police orders and chalks one up to life in the big city and avoids a lot of hassle. And no - fines are not tax deductible - otherwise everyone would be claiming their speeding and parking fines!
Gary McDonald
Guest
what is the first thing origin teams do when they are announced? Is it not a bonding (drinking session) Then you have the traditional Kings Court visit (massage parlor) or did this writer not know this??? Policeman says time to go Mitchell says no I have done nothing wrong policeman says your under arrest it is that simple to be arrested. No charges laid mind you and no previous problems but hey lets solve this the easy way by saying he has a drinking problem? Judges, lawyers, bankers, doctors, JOURNALISTS go and have a drink and they don't have drinking problems. This has been blown out of proportion once again for the sake of a story. What I would like to know is if the fine is tax deductible and if so who claims it Pearce or the club?
Shadow
Roar Rookie
Its just sad. I guess people have a thirst for these juicy, scandolous but shallow stories. So the media gives it to us in spades. Then we see all this crap on the media and these petty things become our reality and we are blinded to the real issues. So we as a society become brainless zombies that continually feed off the tabloid media. Its a self-perpetuating cycle. I like to think we can be better.
paul
Guest
The media are a team of s@#t they pray on peoples mistakes and humanism and then demonise them. Reg gasnier passes and pearce is on front page. I used to drink with journos they are the biggest drunks of everyone and dirty on the world
Shadow
Roar Rookie
I said Im NOT saying it in a 'rapey way' because I assume thats how you interpreted my comment. I was just trying to take Pearce's perspective: He sees an attractive girl, so he approaches her. Either the girl is flattered and they make conversation or shes not interested and they go separate ways. The latter is what happened. Basically what happens a hundred times at any club.
Eddie
Guest
I agree that it has been blown up, but 'rapey way?' 'Provocatively?' Jeez. I'm some distance from being a pitchfork wielding feminist Shadow, but does 'unwanted male attention' come into play at all? Or is she fair game cos of how she dresses?
Shadow
Roar Rookie
Before all the feminists come out with pitchforks - I am not saying it in a 'rapey way'. I mean people go to night clubs to socialise. A girl gets dressed up (provocatively or not) to make a good impression amongst the crowd so someone might come across and strike a conversation with her. Pearce's attention was drawn to her. Tell me this is not what happens between patrons at a club. I am not for one instance laying blame on the woman. Im saying its a completely innocent incident that the media as always has blown out of proportion.
Eddie
Guest
@Shadow, "Why is this girl wearing this attire if not to attract male attention?" So with that spellbinding line of logic, Pearce-or indeed any guy-can say, 'Jeez, can ya blame me? Have a go at what she wuz wearing!' Wakey wakey Shadow.
The Kooler King
Guest
I'm not against Pearce,"the man"....I'm against Pearce "the footballer" As a man,he is entitle to do as we wishes,like the rest of us.(Knowing wrong from right) As a footballer...well ..he's average,and Laurie keeps giving him the number 7 weeks before origin and Before any other player. Look up this forum 12 months ago (with a different Guru) and I said,"for as long as you keep choosing people like Pearce and Gidley,we are going no-where fast. Guru...stop feeding these people crap.So you have no life and make over 100 comments on this forum and they elect you as "guru". Wayne Pearce never drank?...did you go to school with him?..are you one of his mates? You pass comment on something you're not 100 % about (and for the record,you're NOT) Become a "guru" in table tennis or marbles and leave this site for people that are Knowledgeable and passionate about the game.(and who at least might have played)
scott
Guest
Jesus christ. Now we have the apologist brigade charging in and measuring hemlines. Apparently if the skirt is north of the knee she's obviously begging for attention right guys?
Shadow
Roar Rookie
The media headline is "Drunken Pearce detained by Police for Assault" I think, oh great here we go again another idiot shaming the game. You need to dig a little deeper to get the actual story. While Pearce is silly for being out so late on the drink, last I checked that was not a criminal offence. So he got up to go after a girl who was wearing a very eye catching dress? Why exactly is the girl wearing this attire if not to attract male attention? And when he was asked to leave by Police, yes he probably should have left, but he was probably just as puzzled as to why he was asked to leave in the first place.By all accounts he was laughing and not being aggressive. So now we have the Telegraph and Nine among all others blowing this out of proportion because this is the biggest news of the day. Pearce is silly but he doesnt deserve to be roasted like this. The media in this country is going to the dogs.
Paul Callings
Guest
Barfly, agree Daley was party to some poor team selections a few years ago when the NSW team didn't pick itself as much as the past 2-3 years. He put himself in a corner with giving Mitchell Pierce too much support as coach. I doubt whether the Qld origin coaching staff or players care who gets picked for NSW. As Wayne Bennett has said many times. The players and coach have enough to concentrate on themselves and get right rather then worry about the opposition. It's very similar to Michael Clarkes comment prior to SA tour when he told media he didn't watch a ball of the SA INDIA series to the media's surprise. Qld looks like they have most of their top players fit ( except Sam T) which is something they have lacked the past 2 years. Maybe Mitchell Pierce should have been looking more towards Origin then the older lady in the short (very short) banana dress. Alfie Langer would never had done anything like that 11 days out from origin. ( lol)
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
She probably decided not to make a statement when she realised/whisper in the ear, that she could sell her story instead rather than give it free via a police statement :)
AdamS
Roar Guru
You lost me with the first paragraph. Who would be so cruel? Or was the child in your story a red headed step kid?
Barfly
Guest
I hear yah Paul, and yeh I know how close they came but plz we haven't won a series in 8 yrs and remember before he was coach he was one of three NSW selectors for the past 6 or 7 yrs............................................
Chris
Guest
Fcuk sake. Can we just make Hasler coach.