Get off Mitch's back, you're Pearcing me off

I Couldn't agree more with this article. M Pearce has had more pressure on him then any RL player I can remember, the media and fans hammer him for eveything and he has been made the scapegoat for NSW. We were 2 points off winning last year against the greatest QLD side ever. He got the Roosters to a premiership yet people say he had nothing to do with it? Really? Thats ridiculous, he played great all year and it was him that started that comeback against manly with the Guerra try. He made a mistake in going out so close to Origin however it was still 3 weeks away and the way the media reported it as an assult should of seen mitchell sue CH 9, it was disgraceful from the media. Pearce has copped a huge fine,banned from a huge NRL game and dropped from SOO as a result, he has paid a huge penalty so I think its time we let this saga be and give the kid a break. I hope the dogs halves kill it and we finally win the SOO series, they are playing great and maybe it was time for a change however if NSW lose the media and fans better have a scapegoat in mind as Mitch will not be there to blame this time..

Are you that lawyer from Breaking Bad? 1800 call Saul? You're argument are watertight - against things that nobody is saying. If you actually read what people are saying, people are not blaming Pearce, as the author would have you believe. They're saying the following (I'll of put it in. Bullet points for you) - he has consistently failed at origin level - that QLD *do* have a great team but there have been moments when the game is there for the taking and he hasn't stepped up like a good half should - he is playing worse than previously plus has off field dramas, so makes even less sense to pick him now.

Was this article written by a 13 year old Roosters supporter? Certainly comes across that way. Pearce has only been picked because NSW have lacked any other serious options over the years. His continual inclusion in the SOO sides has shown that he is not a halfback of any repute at all. A good solid NRL player, yes, but he should not be playing rep football if the depth in the halves for NSW were adequate. Thankfully this year he won't be picked. Trent Hodkinson can do all the things Mitchell Pearce can do so he deserves his chance now. I would pick a Hodkinson/Reynolds halves pairing over Pearce/Maloney any day of the week.

Pearce is a good player I just don't think he can cut it at Origin level. That is no disgrace. Its a tough game and the pressure is high, Pearce just cant deliver at this level. As a Qld love to see him play. Terry ( fizza) Hill was of the same mould, great player did nothing at origin level.

Pearce is a very good club half. He is so because his gifts suit structure that he can have confidence in. This is the drama for Pearce at Origin. He seems to lack the ability to adapt in Origin thus appears to lack "time". His game always looks hectic, and for a 7 this is a killer because it also cuts time and space for outside backs. It's why Pearce in the GUN position just can't put his stamp & class on any Origin game despite often playing behind a dominant pack. Some "great" club players just never make a mark on Origin. At 25 years old, Mitchell Pearce does seem experienced enough to be placed in this unfortunate category. Regardless of what appears to be a lack of worthy candidates, the time is now for NSW to try another direction... many players in the past have relished the step up in class. The following is a little critique on our Blue halfback options. Fully fit, I believe Jarrod Mullen is a more gifted player in all areas (except defensively) than Pearce, but he still appears short on his hammy at this time. I also think Trent Hodkinson is vastly under rated, he is tough, a very good defender, has a good kicking game, and unlike Pearce he displays a degree of calm and control. I see Adam Reynolds as another player like Pearce who does well in a certain structures at club level but isn't ready for Origin. I'd be picking either a combo of the Bulldogs halves, partnering the ultra competitive Reynolds with Hodkinson or even Mullen at 6 with Hodkinson at 7. Either way it's time for a shake up.

He is not as good as Cronk or Thurston but he is the best half back NSW have... as a Queenslander I hope you drop him for Mullen or the South Sydney kid he is way better than either of them. I think you just have to accept that until Thurston and Cronk go over the hill that unless you can put together a pack that can completely dominate QLD you are going to keep losing because ever since Johns gave it away you have not had a champion half back and neither Reynolds or Mullen are going to fill that void .. There both good club players but they ain't Andrew Johns,Thurston.Alan Langer,Peter Sterling class footballers indeed they are not even as good as Pearce... don't kid yourself.

Chuck in watmough too!

Haha!

MP gets a bad wrap being the son of a former great and current commissioner WP- no wonder why Garry Jack's sons play AFL for the Sydney Swans they cannot be compared to him in that game not that you can compare a backrower to a half back in WP and MP cases. Maybe NSW fans have to acknowledge ita great QLD team- remember that the Wallabies haven't won the Bledisloe cup for 11 years and England dominated Australia in cricket for many many many years and the US held the America's cup for how many years??. people are way to harsh to criticise people when they cannot do it themselves- easy to sit on the coach and in the grandstand or the club or pub to say oh he/ they should have done this and that after watching countless replays- you dont have time on the field to have a committee meet on what you are going to do. it is one of the most unfortunate parts of Australia culture the tall poppy syndrome- Greg Norman was called a choker by people whose ability in golf could be written on the back of a postage stamp with room to spare. Shame shame shame on all you knockers of individuals - if you can do better why aren't you out there doing it - oh you haven't the ability to do it. rest my case for the defence

How on gods green earth is he overrated. All I ever see is people bagging the bloke? If he was as bad as you all said Roosters wouldn't have won it all last year. So 'overrated' he is underrated.

For mine Pearce is a classic example of so 'overrated' they become underrated. He has been consistently been an automatic selection in the NSW team, and people think that since he is not Cooper Cronk that he doesn't deserve to be there at all. The ch 9 commentary team still loves the guy so people hate that too. Now people are so adamant that he is so terrible and overrated that he offers absolutely nothing to the team. They forget that he is still a great halfback with many strong aspects to his game. If he didn't he wouldn't have been able to lead the roosters to a premiership last year.

Pearces kicking and passing is averge at best. Play a 7 who can kick for repeat sets, kick long and find grass and put the Qld defence in 2 minds. Just give someone else a go. he has been a passenger in every origin game he has played.

I'm a roosters supporter so maybe I am missing something with a like one sided view. But in my opinion: Would they still have lost? Definitely, and still probably rather comfortably! Would they have lost by 32? Not a chance. Let's not forget how the Storm went without smith in the 2008 Grand Final. Roosters struggled to get out of their own end of the field all game. Classic sign of poor delivery of ball to the forwards, something I think Pearce does a pretty good job at.

That youtube vid sums up why he should never even be considered for selection again. For him to of played as poorly as he has for so long and continually be selected beggars belief really. Rubbish article Robert!

Does anyone have the stats (or where to find them) for all the important measures for a half back? Where does he rate for; Line Break assists Try assists Kick Metres 40/20 Line breaks Runs Repeat Sets Etc etc etc

i would say NSW has been the better team for the past 3 years, but failed to sustain the pressure when they really needed to. 2011: NSW blew Game 1 when Queensland scored in the 73rd minute. Series finished 2-1. 2012: NSW lost Game 1 partly due to Inglis-Farah incident, then lost Game 3 by a Field Goal. Series finished 2-1. 2013: NSW won Game 1 easily, but their side was weakened by Game 3 without Hayne, Gallen or Ferguson. Series finished 2-1.

When it was there to be won by the Roosters in 2013 grand final it was SBW, Maloney and Jennings stepping up and taking the game. Pearce is a great front runner and game manager, but just doesn't have the spark to take a game from quality oppositon, which you always have in State of Origin.

-- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.

The most vanilla of halfbacks to don the sky blue jersey. No kicking game worthy of mention and over rated . My prediction is they'll stick with him yet again and deserve to loose. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.

LOL that was a classic!