Gould on Pearce today

[Vasco]

Reynolds is a very good player. Very clever.

However I would like to see him show some skill with the ball, not the foot.

[chook 56]

Pearce isn't even the best hafback that we have.

What happened to the positive Coggy we witnessed a short while ago?

[Guest]

I've been waiting to eat that humble pie for six years.

How'd it taste in 2010? Oh that's right, you were nowhere man when Pearce was playing well that year.

Chook.

[Ray Stehr]

What happened to the positive Coggy we witnessed a short while ago?

Mate I'm positive, positive that Pearce is crap.

[Ray Stehr]

How'd it taste in 2010? Oh that's right, you were nowhere man when Pearce was playing well that year.

Chook.

What, the year that Carney was unstopable.

[stsae]

Mate I'm positive, positive that Pearce is crap.

Farkin classic maaaaaaaaaate, you still got it IMO.

[Guest]

What, the year that Carney was unstopable.

And I suppose this year it'll be all SBW or Maloney or Jennings if we go well? You blamed Pearce for the warriors coming back when it was clearly Mini who was the culprit. You have zero objectivity on Pearce.

Chook.

[Ray Stehr]

Farkin classic maaaaaaaaaate, you still got it IMO.

Mate, you've got to laugh at the situation.

[Ray Stehr]

And I suppose this year it'll be all SBW or Maloney or Jennings if we go well? Chook.

Well of course, I'm glad you're starting to make sense.

[stsae]

Robson is a passable First Grade halfback, he's an organising halfback which suits Carney just fine and makes them a strong combo.

The reason Pearce played so well with Carney was because Carney was the creative outlet, when we needed to play something off the cuff and play outside of a structure Carney was the go to guy. Since Carney left, effectively in 2011 Pearce has been required to be the creative outlet AND the organiser of the side. No halfback since Johns has been able to combine the two together to a high enough standard for first grade. Take Sutton, Luke & Inglis away from Reynolds; put the creative AND organising responsibilities on his shoulders and I guarantee he wouldn't look half the player he is today.

When Carney first arrived at the Sharks he was put in the halfback position but only lasted two weeks, he came out and said that trying to be the organiser and creative outlet was just too hard and it had affected his game. Said he just can't do the things a player like Pearce can. Thurston was exactly the same, although he had some decent success at halfback. But as soon as the opportunity came up to play 5/8 again he jumped at it. Benji Marhsall another great example of a 5/8 who struggled trying to take on both the roles of being the creator and organiser and really as a player hasn't reached anywhere near the heights he did whilst playing with Prince.

Unfortunately for Pearce; and I predicted this pre-season he's been paired with a 5/8 who could quite as easily just play halfback and prefers to play within a structure much like Pearce, he really doesn't add that creative option that we need so bad. However Robinson whether he holds the same opinion as me or not made a very brave call of playing a traditional halfback and 5/8 structure as opposed to the popular split halves that every other side in the comp employs. This is going to take time to click, it's a structure neither would have played in since even entering grade but it may just work. The other issue is the fullback, nearly every other half in the comp has a fullback who relieves some of the creative pressures, ours does not.

Pearce has carried a lot of responsibility on his shoulders ever since entering grade but done it admirably imo, being in the top 10 try assist and line break assists category year after year. But that will still never be good enough for his detractors who want him to be both the creative AND organising outlet in the team despite no other half in the comp bar Thurston doing so, although he has always had Bowen to take some of the pressure off in creating tries by his side. Essentially until he's Thurston or Johns his detractors wont be happy.

The only time Pearce has had a creative option either at fullback or 5/8? 2010, 'coincidentally' his best year...

The key for Robinson is finding those options at 5/8 and fullback that will share the responsibilities of coming up with points and allow Pearce to play his natural game. Just like Foran, Ballin and Stewart do for DCE, Just like Inglis, Luke & Sutton do for Reynolds and just like Slater, Widdop & Smith do for Cronk.

I agree with a lot of that R6 and you could add our 9 in the non creative type also.

That's why I'm on the fence still with Pearce. We have seen it in 2010, shit even Rusty gave him credit at times that season. It's still possible in the right side he could be a very good 1/2.

But as you said we really don't have the players in those other crucial positions to add that variety and creativity that Pearce doesnt really posses. And that's not his fault. He is never going to be an all out creative off the cuff genius.

Still his short kicking game hasn't improved and his ability under pressure is limited. IMO they are two basic traits a very good organizing 1/2 should posses or should have by now manufactured or been coached to do.

I'm still getting splinters. Painful.

Hopefully the coaching has been the big issue and things change, as with a lot of our players.

Painful.

[stsae]

Mate, you've got to laugh at the situation.

You know me mate I'm always .

Without you mate this forum would be so vanilla.

I might not always agree with your opinion but you say it as you see it, and I love that.

You provoke debate, heated even, that's what it's all about IMO.

If only MitchyBoy could play 1/2 as well as you fish Coggy, we wouldn't even have this thread going.

[Vasco]

Coggy on fire.

[chook 56]

Hopefully the coaching has been the big issue and things change, as with a lot of our players.

Painful.

Been wondering about this for a time now & how long Jr Jr has been very ordinary with his kicking. Has he been coached for so long to be like this that he might not get it back?

[John Corey]

Everyone knows that Pearce is rubbish except for a few thickheads in here.

Thanks Ray. He is not rubbish. Yes his surname has helped him along the way and he is prob lucky to have played SOO due to a lack of competition. My complaint about him, is his short kicking game is rubbish. Reynolds has it all over him in that dept. Halfbacks must build pressure and gain repeat sets. Pearce can't do that.

I still don't think he is rubbish tho. He is a decent half but there are guys playing better. I don't think he will play SOO.

[Ray Stehr]

I'm not refering to you John.