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The Roosters half plans to explode out of the blocks in the NRL opener - then jink, writes Glenn Jackson.
SYDNEY Roosters halfback Mitchell Pearce might have lost his halves partner for game one of the NRL season tomorrow night at the SFS, but he still plans to take some of five-eighth Todd Carney's game into the clash with Souths.
Pearce was more the dependable sidekick to the flash of the five-eighth - the Robin to Carney's Batman - last year as the pair helped the Roosters to the grand final.
But in a bid to be ''dominant'' in every game he plays and cement his standing as NSW's next long-term halfback option, Pearce wants to pick the best part of Carney's game and feed it into his own. The 21-year-old wants to run more.
Advertisement: Story continues below ''I want my running game to be more damaging,'' Pearce told the Herald yesterday as he prepared for round one. ''That's something I've been working on. Most halfbacks have strong kicking games, passing games, the technical side of things and the decision-making, but the thing that makes [Johnathan] Thurston and the best halfbacks better than the others is their running game.
''It's something I've been working on, but it's time to put it on the field.''
Pearce said if he was to join the elite halfbacks in the game, moving into territory occupied by the Cowboys' Thurston, he had to take a leaf out of his own five-eighth's playbook.
''Todd's running game is definitely his strength, and that's something I want to really improve on. I think he's got the best running game in the comp - and I've got him at training.
''Any half in the game, whether it's Thurston or Todd [Carney], when they're playing at their best it's their running game that's dominant. Each year you see areas you want to keep improving in. I just think that's somewhere I can be a bit more damaging. I'm not just going to run for the sake of running, but having that running threat, being more explosive, hopefully I can be more dangerous.''
Although the Roosters' stunning 2010 came largely on the back of their youthful halves pairing, he maintains they could both improve.
''I think we can,'' Pearce said. ''From day one when we started together, we felt comfortable. I really enjoy playing with him. The best thing is with him, we work together - we're not fighting against each other. Our games seem to suit each other. Once Todd's back, I think we can really pick up from where we left off.
''Every player would like to improve every year, and that's something I'm hungry to do. It's a matter of me playing well now, and showing on the field that I'm getting better, that I can take the next step. You always want to improve every part of your game. It's more about controling the game, and coming up with the right decisions under pressure consistently. If you're consistent, you're going to play a lot more good games than you are bad games.''
Of Carney, he said: ''I don't see any reason why he can't do a better job than he did last year. He's a natural footballer. He's a great athlete and he's got great instincts. He looks determined to play well this season and I'm confident that he's going to be our best again.''
However, his captain, Braith Anasta, who will take Carney's five-eighth position against the Rabbitohs as Carney recovers from a groin problem, believes it is Pearce who has most to gain.
''Pearcey's probably the one I think who is going to have the best year,'' Anasta said. ''He's prepared for it, he's had a few years under his belt now and he's getting a lot more mature. Great preparation, good off-season … he's going to have a big year.''
Pearce and Carney have been earmarked as the pair to lead NSW out of the doldrums this year under new coach Ricky Stuart. Of course, the son of one of NSW's greats, Wayne Pearce, wants to do it. But he is wary of getting too far ahead of himself.
''First and foremost, I have to worry about Friday night,'' he said. ''It would be lovely to be a part of the State of Origin, and I hope I'm playing well enough to do it. It'd be nice to be in the semis, but we've got to worry about the first game first.''
By then Pearce's season, full of promise, will be off and running
The Roosters half plans to explode out of the blocks in the NRL opener - then jink, writes Glenn Jackson.
SYDNEY Roosters halfback Mitchell Pearce might have lost his halves partner for game one of the NRL season tomorrow night at the SFS, but he still plans to take some of five-eighth Todd Carney's game into the clash with Souths.
Pearce was more the dependable sidekick to the flash of the five-eighth - the Robin to Carney's Batman - last year as the pair helped the Roosters to the grand final.
But in a bid to be ''dominant'' in every game he plays and cement his standing as NSW's next long-term halfback option, Pearce wants to pick the best part of Carney's game and feed it into his own. The 21-year-old wants to run more.
Advertisement: Story continues below ''I want my running game to be more damaging,'' Pearce told the Herald yesterday as he prepared for round one. ''That's something I've been working on. Most halfbacks have strong kicking games, passing games, the technical side of things and the decision-making, but the thing that makes [Johnathan] Thurston and the best halfbacks better than the others is their running game.
''It's something I've been working on, but it's time to put it on the field.''
Pearce said if he was to join the elite halfbacks in the game, moving into territory occupied by the Cowboys' Thurston, he had to take a leaf out of his own five-eighth's playbook.
''Todd's running game is definitely his strength, and that's something I want to really improve on. I think he's got the best running game in the comp - and I've got him at training.
''Any half in the game, whether it's Thurston or Todd [Carney], when they're playing at their best it's their running game that's dominant. Each year you see areas you want to keep improving in. I just think that's somewhere I can be a bit more damaging. I'm not just going to run for the sake of running, but having that running threat, being more explosive, hopefully I can be more dangerous.''
Although the Roosters' stunning 2010 came largely on the back of their youthful halves pairing, he maintains they could both improve.
''I think we can,'' Pearce said. ''From day one when we started together, we felt comfortable. I really enjoy playing with him. The best thing is with him, we work together - we're not fighting against each other. Our games seem to suit each other. Once Todd's back, I think we can really pick up from where we left off.
''Every player would like to improve every year, and that's something I'm hungry to do. It's a matter of me playing well now, and showing on the field that I'm getting better, that I can take the next step. You always want to improve every part of your game. It's more about controling the game, and coming up with the right decisions under pressure consistently. If you're consistent, you're going to play a lot more good games than you are bad games.''
Of Carney, he said: ''I don't see any reason why he can't do a better job than he did last year. He's a natural footballer. He's a great athlete and he's got great instincts. He looks determined to play well this season and I'm confident that he's going to be our best again.''
However, his captain, Braith Anasta, who will take Carney's five-eighth position against the Rabbitohs as Carney recovers from a groin problem, believes it is Pearce who has most to gain.
''Pearcey's probably the one I think who is going to have the best year,'' Anasta said. ''He's prepared for it, he's had a few years under his belt now and he's getting a lot more mature. Great preparation, good off-season … he's going to have a big year.''
Pearce and Carney have been earmarked as the pair to lead NSW out of the doldrums this year under new coach Ricky Stuart. Of course, the son of one of NSW's greats, Wayne Pearce, wants to do it. But he is wary of getting too far ahead of himself.
''First and foremost, I have to worry about Friday night,'' he said. ''It would be lovely to be a part of the State of Origin, and I hope I'm playing well enough to do it. It'd be nice to be in the semis, but we've got to worry about the first game first.''
By then Pearce's season, full of promise, will be off and running
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