- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
If playing rugby league is high on Mitchell Pearce’s bucket list, then he’s had the last alcoholic drink of his football career. Or he should walk away from the sport.
There’s no point going through a month-long rehab in Bangkok, and taking up drinking again. He’s proved before he can’t handle it.
So if he still wants to keep playing there’s no alternative – it’s the wagon.
That’s a no-brainer decision, but what punishment Pearce will cop for his lewd performance on Australia Day is far more difficult.
More Mitchell Pearce
» The official NRL player misdemeanour rate card
» Pearce cops eight weeks and $125K fine
» The fine is huge, but Pearce is just lucky to be playing footy
» Mitch Pearce’s welfare the priority: RLPA
» WATCH: The original footage; does the punishment fit the crime?
If Catherine Lumby, the NRL’s advisor on women’s issues, has her way, Pearce has played his last game of rugby league.
“He’s had ample opportunities to learn,” Lumby said.
“I wouldn’t allow him back in the game because of all the support and education he’s had and the fact he’s a senior leader who should know better.
“The whole thing was a form of harassment and disrespect to the woman [the hostess on Australia Day].
“If the NRL slaps him on the wrist I will be very disappointed, and would have to look at whether I am of any use to the NRL.”
A heavy duty threat.
The NRL is looking at a 12-week ban, and may have looked more kindly on Roosters chairman Nick Politis’ suggestion of a four-week suspension, had it not been for Lumby’s tougher stand as a senior NRL employee.
As it sits, yesterday’s meeting at League Central between Politis and commission chairman John Grant ended in an impasse, with Grant suggesting to Politis to go away and come back with another suggestion.
Why? Who runs the game?
There should have been no discussion. Grant wants 12 weeks, and he should have told Politis just that. But let’s face it, Grant is weak. He’s given Politis and Pearce an out.
And Politis will strike. He doesn’t take any prisoners as he’s proved over four decades as one of rugby league’s very best administrators.
Don’t be surprised if Politis comes back with a six-week suspension and a $100,000 fine to a charity of the NRL’s choosing.
That would be a shrewd length of time, about the amount needed for Pearce to be fit enough to play, seeing he only starts training next Monday.
Grant will accept that two-prong offer, just to get it off the books.
And the rest is up to Pearce, counting himself damn lucky to be allowed to strap on his boots again.
Being on the wagon and playing top class rugby league will start to repay what he owes his parents, his peers, his club, and his code.