Top 2

[BarnstormingBlockbustin']

lets hear them lads.

Loved him or hated him, he would've made you proud at least once or twice on the field.

2012 round 1 vs souths
2017 Anzac Day

Or turn it into another fanboy vs flog thread.
Up to you guys.

[Rooster_6]

2013 Grand Final... that pic of Aubusson and Pearcey encapsulated what makes supporting a football club so awesome and why our football club is so great.

2 blokes who came through the lower grades, saw the worst of times at the club but always put in 100% on the field celebrating the sweetest moment in their careers together with pure and raw emotion.

2013 Round 19... Got an absoulte pasting from the media after Origin. But came out days later and lead us to a 40-0 whipping of the Sharks. Was a real coming of age for him. and I just knew we had a great shot at the title from there.

[redrooster]

I could never question his effort and committment to the Roosters

Took Unders to stay

All the players love him

I dont think he was the reason we lost the semi this year

Johns & Thurston 2 of the greatest halfbacks I have ever seen have 2 & 1 premiership beside their name as halfbacks

Halfback cant do.it all, and there is alot at the Storm that makes them win apart from Cronk

Im not sold on this decision sorry

[Random Rooster]

Anyone else looking forward to the last tackle and seeing a attacking kick that gets a repeat set of 6....instead of the usual nothing kicks.??I certainly wont be missing those nothing deep bombs that never put any pressure on the opposition. I appreciate what Mitchell Pearce has done for the Roosters but better players have left the club in the past and life goes on.
I wish all players leaving the club the best....even the one whos extreme love of the devils dandruff resulted in some really dubious form for a few years.Happy Days!!

[Steakface]

Made me proud almost every time he took the field mate - there are countless great moments, too many to distill down to 2.

He always put in 100% and you were never in any doubt that he would when he took the field.

He will leave a HUGE hole in my opinion, for the following reasons:

*110% commitment and desire - much was made of how much ground the bloke covers during each game - more than anyone else in the game on average i believe. He's almost always the first one there backing up a line break.
*Defence - does a shiteload more work than most halves, and is much better at it too than most halves.
*Speed - a shiteload faster than pretty much any half in the comp over 40m. The drop in pace in our halves next year will be noticeable.

I believe he is superior to Cronk in the above facets of the game.

I'm convinced that the reason he cops so much unfair shit is due to:

*Too many people were anticipating him to be the next Andrew Johns, which clearly hasn't eventuated.
*Too many people were on his back from day one due his dad's reputation (ironically, he has achieved more in the NRL comp than his dad ever did, its just in Origin where he has fallen short. Wayne is still held in much higher esteem though - figure that one out)
*Average decision making under pressure. NO halfback has the perfect game and this was his big weakness. Sometimes he was fine, other times he wasn't. When he had his head in the right place his decision making was top notch.

Much of any other criticism he gets is superfluous and unfair IMO.

Cracker of a Pearce highlights reel just from 2017 alone:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mksk3UV3Pa8

2015:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwbX9M9GcRM

Halfback cant do.it all, and there is alot at the Storm that makes them win apart from Cronk

Im not sold on this decision sorry

Yep, i'm with you on this.

Too many people are feverent, unwavering believers in the 'Cronk = Premiership' equation.

It's not going to happen, and Robbo will be the next scapegoat. He'll be torn to shreds on here, mark my words.

I personally think we'll have an average season next year (not just because of the change in No7 i should make clear). I'm anticipating us finishing 7th/8th ish.

[Random Rooster]

Made me proud almost every time he took the field mate - there are countless great moments, too many to distill down to 2.

He always put in 100% and you were never in any doubt that he would when he took the field.

He will leave a HUGE hole in my opinion, for the following reasons:

*110% commitment and desire - much was made of how much ground the bloke covers during each game - more than anyone else in the game on average i believe. He's almost always the first one there backing up a line break.
*Defence - does a shiteload more work than most halves, and is much better at it too than most halves.
*Speed - a shiteload faster than pretty much any half in the comp over 40m. The drop in pace in our halves next year will be noticeable.

I believe he is superior to Cronk in the above facets of the game.

I'm convinced that the reason he cops so much unfair shit is due to:

*Too many people were anticipating him to be the next Andrew Johns, which clearly hasn't eventuated.
*Too many people were on his back from day one due his dad's reputation (ironically, he has achieved more in the NRL comp than his dad ever did, its just in Origin where he has fallen short. Wayne is still held in much higher esteem though - figure that one out)
*Average decision making under pressure. NO halfback has the perfect game and this was his big weakness. Sometimes he was fine, other times he wasn't. When he had his head in the right place his decision making was top notch.

Much of any other criticism he gets is superfluous and unfair IMO.

.

Yes i agree about his 100% commitment on the field
Yes i agree about his defence when tackling players front on.He has technique and guts.However he also has too many poor reads and lapses both at club and rep level
He is far from the fastest half in the NRL but i dont think it matters. His decisions on when to run the ball does thou.Way too predictable when attacking the oppositions tryline

Yes he showed potential to be as good as Andrew Johns early in his career....and no he never has or will hit those levels
Im assuming you think Mitchell has achieved more than his dad at NRL level because he won a GF. Wayne was a elite backrower who played 19 games for Australia and 16 of them were wins.Mitchell will never be a elite player nor will he represent Australia. Wayne was a magnificent defender,one of the best ever to play the game although he didnt have Mitchells natural talent. I dont think his fathers reputation was a positive or negative for Mitchell. 2 very different players from different eras
"Average decision making under pressure". Your right-go no further. For a halfback of 28 years of age its a massive negative
He does cop more criticism than he should but alot of it is also warranted and result driven

[Danish]

My favourite Pearce moment came in his first season. Round 14 vs the Panthers, his first match playing Gower who had molested his sister earlier in the year.

We looked absolutely shot all night, but were still somehow within a try coming into the final minute. Penrith had a full set on our line, just had to run out the clock to win it. Sa stormed off the line like a bat out of hell and crushed Gower, who dropped the ball. Wing swooped in, then offloaded to the jack rabbit Peace who ran 80 metres to score under the posts and steal the game as the siren sounded.

My 2nd favourite Pearce moment was in 2013, round 26 vs Souths. SBW bashed through the line, then drew the fullback and popped the perfect short ball to Pearce who flicked on the after burners and left ol' Sammy B for dead to score under the sticks. That try defined our premiership run IMO.

I suppose it is a little telling that my 2 best memories of our halfback of 11 seasons have nothing to do with actual halfback play.... but there you go.

Pearce is not a bad football player by any stretch, but his career will ultimately be defined by his inability to step up in big moments i.e. origin and finals footy

[Maxy Walker]

I could never question his effort and committment to the Roosters

Took Unders to stay

All the players love him

I dont think he was the reason we lost the semi this year

Johns & Thurston 2 of the greatest halfbacks I have ever seen have 2 & 1 premiership beside their name as halfbacks

Halfback cant do.it all, and there is alot at the Storm that makes them win apart from Cronk

Im not sold on this decision sorry

Yeah agree. Not sold. Pearce is just entering the prime of his career. Now Manly get the benefit of that and we’ll have to find another halfback in two years time.

All well and good if we win a premiership but we probably won’t.

[Johnny Tobin]

We have persisted with his inability to ice big moments for years. Now we get the Australian halfback, who specialises in exactly that, and people are not happy about it.

I don't think Cronk could boast eighteen (yes, eighteen) missed field goals in a row. I would be surprised if he got to three.

I thank Pearce for his efforts and wish him the best. But we will be an infinitely better side with Cronk at seven.

[Kingbilly]

I think we on a winnner with what has happened.
But I know 100% that Cronk will do things that Pearce would have been blasted for, yet he will get called a genius

[Johnny Tobin]

I think we on a winnner with what has happened.
But I know 100% that Cronk will do things that Pearce would have been blasted for, yet he will get called a genius

For example?

[Salvatori Grubber]

Top 2, hmmm.

1. As someone above suggested, finishing off the SBW break against Souths in rd26 2013 was really memorable.

2. Grubbering the ball directly at Tafua on the last tackle with minutes to go in the 2013 gf, forcing an error and granting us the scrum feed.

Other lasting memories:
- short grubber ahead for Carney to score at the Paddo end at the sfs on a Sunday arvo
- countless try assists to Cordner in 2013
- icing the game vs Gower back in the day
- kicking 2 field goals in 2017
- punching on with Marshall in 2010 semi
- catching a Thurston last tackle attacking kick on the full and racing away to either score or assist in that home semi against the Cows where we were 32-0 up at ht
- cross field kick caught by someone (possibly Phil Graham) for try of the year back in the dark days
- the step that never fooled anyone
- pissing-away our season 2016
- not finding touch at Origin level
- very suspiciously missing tackles in wooden-spoon game 2009
- knocking on my studio door with no shirt, asking if I knew how to get back into the boxing gym I shared a level with, lol

I do like Pearce, but am happy with how this has turned out.

[Jacks Fur Coat]

A game that sticks in my mind for Pearcey is one he had not long after his return from the enforced hiatus in 2016.

I cant remember who we played but we got beat in a close one at Allianz.

He did everything physically possible to win us that game...did not deserve to be on a losing side that day. Really busted himself.

[Jacks Fur Coat]

Oh and the only time I met him was in the restroom at the Freeway Hotel. Exchanged gdays mate.

I was in there and he came in with his beer. Why do guys do that?

Bring their beers in I mean....not use restrooms generally.

[gragra]

Made me proud almost every time he took the field mate - there are countless great moments, too many to distill down to 2.

He always put in 100% and you were never in any doubt that he would when he took the field.

He will leave a HUGE hole in my opinion, for the following reasons:

*110% commitment and desire - much was made of how much ground the bloke covers during each game - more than anyone else in the game on average i believe. He's almost always the first one there backing up a line break.
*Defence - does a shiteload more work than most halves, and is much better at it too than most halves.
*Speed - a shiteload faster than pretty much any half in the comp over 40m. The drop in pace in our halves next year will be noticeable.

I believe he is superior to Cronk in the above facets of the game.

I'm convinced that the reason he cops so much unfair shit is due to:

*Too many people were anticipating him to be the next Andrew Johns, which clearly hasn't eventuated.
*Too many people were on his back from day one due his dad's reputation (ironically, he has achieved more in the NRL comp than his dad ever did, its just in Origin where he has fallen short. Wayne is still held in much higher esteem though - figure that one out)
*Average decision making under pressure. NO halfback has the perfect game and this was his big weakness. Sometimes he was fine, other times he wasn't. When he had his head in the right place his decision making was top notch.

Much of any other criticism he gets is superfluous and unfair IMO.

Cracker of a Pearce highlights reel just from 2017 alone:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mksk3UV3Pa8

2015:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwbX9M9GcRM




Yep, i'm with you on this.

Too many people are feverent, unwavering believers in the 'Cronk = Premiership' equation.

It's not going to happen, and Robbo will be the next scapegoat. He'll be torn to shreds on here, mark my words.

I personally think we'll have an average season next year (not just because of the change in No7 i should make clear). I'm anticipating us finishing 7th/8th ish.

Great summary. After re watching the preliminary final against the cows yesterday, that a lone further convinced me that nothing Cronk could do to counteract all the mistakes made by ALL the other rooster players on the day. The best try of the day was the run /setup of Pearce to Cordner to Watson's try.

A significant reason Cordner has scored so many tries in his career with the roosters is Pearce well executed cutout/short ball to a well time runner !!

Personally I would much rather the roosters had bought a gun centre or prop rather than Cronk !! I sure hope Cronk at 34 doesn't spend weeks on the side line in rehab for those injuries that will come along to his aging body. Just ask Mini !