Mitchell Pearce has provocatively made mention of Roosters crowd numbers, despite receiving specific warnings as to the topic’s sensitivity in a brief from advisers.
With tensions simmering in the approach to Sunday’s highly anticipated homecoming against his former club, the Newcastle playmaker was urged to “not mention the war”, with a specific section included in the brief in all-capital letters demanding he “DON’T UPSET POLITIS.”
The directive was served to Pearce as a reminder of the volatility around the subject of Roosters’ attendances, a long-time cultural sensitivity for the foundation club that has generated constant memes at their expense since 1908.
Advisers initially decided against gagging the former Rooster, believing he would be mindful of stigmatising a club he departed less than five months ago. Then they recalled how he once thought it wise to sledge Johnathan Thurstonand make love to a puppy.
As such, Pearce was instructed to refuse all questions about attendances, with a strict directive issued to only discuss sanitised topics such as “the boys” and “shapes.”
But despite pleading from his aides, he ignored the advice and insultingly called for a “good crowd” before mentioning how the Newcastle team “seem to get a lot more than the Roosters fans.”
The wholly accurate comparative ranking from Pearce has plunged the two clubs in to a diplomatic crisis, with the Roosters threatening to impose sanctions on the Knights such as extraditing their large number of expats, or providing shitty parking for Sunday.
(Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images)
The reaction by Roosters supporters to Pearce has also been swift and brutal, who despite suffering through his drunken incidents derailing seasons and AWOL performances in crunch matches, are considering his factual observation as the final straw.
Some fans have condemned his ignorant slur on attendances as one that further stigmatises their club as one “so rich it doesn’t care”, while others are directing their law firms to concentrate on suing his next three generations of family.
Roosters fans will also seek an injunction to rewrite the club’s history books to hold him responsible for the one-marker policy and the signing of Willie Mason, because you “just don’t go there.”
Additionally, all historical newspaper mountings in the club featuring Pearce will be rewritten as “the time he bummed a smoke from Craig Coleman to torch his 2013 premiership jersey.”
While acknowledging this could be a slight over-reaction to a blase and probably unintentional one-liner from a former favourite son, a spokesperson for the fans asserted that “if you take everything out of context, you’ll see he always hated the Roosters.”
“Despite representing the club in 238 games, steering them to a premiership and declaring he never wanted to leave, he always wanted to leave” the spokesperson said.
“He used and abused this club, and then callously abandoned us with nothing more than an all-time legendary halfback.”
Con Scortis
Roar Guru
I didn't think there were memes in 1908. In those days they used carrier pigeons.
uglykiwi
Roar Pro
That second half performance against the Panthers was one of the worst I have ever seen...... Just hopeless. It was just a matter of time before Penrith got to the lead. And I think penrith are going terrible........ Dogs will win 13 plus tonight against them!
3_Hats SSTID 2014
Roar Rookie
In 2014 Souths won in Rd 1 then lost 3 in a row so even if Manly do win the Rabbitohs will have no trouble smashing the Puppies. So in effect, it will be the same situation. Rd 1 calls against the Warriors really did hurt us in the end, a 10 point turnaround just before halftime was crucial. Rd 2 that kickoff then blunders by the Refs ruling a Penalty to Penrith instead of a goal-line dropout hurt a bit also. 14 nil and our backs up, Souths could have easily made it 20 nil then the game was over right there!. Not to be but the Rabbitohs are a lot better than 0 and 2. At least we haven't been thrashed by 50 like the Eels have or the Dogs being belted twice by 3 trys or 18.
Roy
Guest
Hahahaha Pearce NEVER steered the Roosters to a premiership. BTW the Roosters had the best Sydney team crowd aggregate last year.
Bargeall
Guest
More fake hype to get a crowd - how many people tire of all this and go gardening instead...
bearfax
Guest
Let the war begin. Go the Knights.
PGNEWC
Roar Rookie
Oh come on Newie is a city soon to have light rail and maybe even a couple of shops again -- the earthquake was only 30 years ago--( it takes time) with a chaotic rough as guts league team compared to the Eastern Suburbs consisting of a New Zealand refugee centre and some poor struggling types living in million dollar plus hovels only having enough money to buy a slick A1 League team It is truly a matter of Goliath v David --- The poor Roosters!
Cadfael
Roar Guru
How many decades has the 6pm Friday starts beeb around? After daylight savingfinishes, most Sunday 6.00pm starts will also stop.
Dane Eldridge
Expert
Cheers AJL, much appreciated
Dane Eldridge
Expert
Excellent work, Chook Fan. The stigma will only subside through the good work of people like yourself
AJL.
Roar Pro
Very good Dane.
Chook Fan
Guest
Ok, I'll bite. Yeah, the Roosters had lousy crowd numbers in the Lex Marinos era. But that followed the devastation of losing an entire generation of our squad to Manly in the 80s-90s, pre-salary cap. And a decade at the bottom of the comp. Fatty Vaughtin, anyone? Followed by Gus Gould and rebuilding for 2 decades. But we know a good triple-mocha-choca-soybean-latte, and did top crowd numbers for Sydney teams in '17 and '15. Moreso, if you consider Home & Away (rivals come to see the good teams play). Chooks fans are riding the Pearce bus big-time (just not this week). Knights the second adopted team. Praise be to Big Artie and H.G. eat your heart out.
Dane Eldridge
Expert
Eloquent stuff, kk. Thank you for bringing some class to this article
Dane Eldridge
Expert
Sounds like the way they used to count them in the Super League days
kk
Guest
Elementary my dear Eldridge. Supercars created the most exciting circuit outside of your old glory days town of Bathurst. Novocastrians liked being liked. Success tasted good. Next on the agenda was to rejuvenate their Knights. The new front office looked to the heavens and discovered the Star of Ponga. Recruiters then signed a pack of discards from the East where Supercars are not the go, unless one considers Rolls and Bentleys would fill that void. The only compensating connection being that the East has a Ford man at the wheel. Mitch, the son of a great has a PhD in human error and his mistakes are voluminous. For the first time in his career he now has a vision splendid of thinking it through, doing it right. The Hunter air has cleared his lungs to give voice to his opinion and urge his team to maximum effort. There is a certain irony that this game is the last on the card for round 3. I wish him well. For those who can make it this game is best viewed live. Hope the relatively long drive home is OK, especially for the early starters the next day.
Paul
Roar Guru
so now they have 2.30 on a Sunday afternoon and they still won't turn up.
Kevin
Guest
Hahahhah it's all true. ..i even recall Lex Marinos..something like ; Abc: lex , nice day for a game..how does the crowd look ..how many are there Lex: hang one I'll just pop down and count them!
Dane Eldridge
Expert
Top shelf, Haradasun!
Dane Eldridge
Expert
The club's been dudded by these timeslots for decades
Haradasun
Guest
Roosters crowd numbers have always been well under the salary cap.