Pearce to train with the Roosters before taking up French connection

[Rooster_6]

He had his faults Junior but he is a true Roosters legend. Nice bloke to boot - no ego about him. Always had time to talk to the fans.

Yep agreed, not many Roosters who have played 200+games for our club and he is one of them. I'm glad this olive branch has been extended.

Not sure I've seen a player cop more unfair treatment than him. From record level fines and suspensions for relatively minor indiscretions, bashing from the media and even some of our own fans setting up accounts just to target him it would be fair to understand if he had a chip on his shoulder but like you said he was always great with the fans every time I saw him.

The generation of Friendy, Maubs, SKD, Pearce & Cordner will always hold a strong place in our history. They really were the foundation blocks coming out of the post-Fittler era. Sad to see they've all retired from the NRL now... onto the Generation Next (now there's a throw back, I wonder if anyone has some pictures from that marketing campaign?).

[DP1990]

There’s more to this from what I understand. Don’t be surprised to see Mitch pull the pin on France and take up a two year deal with us. Trent is keen for him to hang around and mentor the young uns on the finer points of responsible off field behaviour, tasteful body art, and effective 5th tackle options.

Yep ... I'd welcome him back as a "Hybrid Hooker" (not the Thailand type). It would be good if he were to come in and assist with the development of Walker/Keary combo and see what else he could add that perhaps Cronk hasn't covered off in the last two seasons.

[Mickie Lane]

"Sure, Pearce has made mistakes off the field, but the difference between him and most players is that he’s admitted them and never apportioned blame to others. The public floggings he’s received have rarely fitted the error of judgement."

He's a champion in my eyes, he's a true blue Aussie NRL player who has to be admired for his fitness, determination, ticker & his willingness to get hurt. Thats why I like all the players in the NRL they are prepared to break their own bones to play the game that we all comfortably sit back & watch.

[Mickie Lane]

Yep agreed, not many Roosters who have played 200+games for our club and he is one of them. I'm glad this olive branch has been extended.

Not sure I've seen a player cop more unfair treatment than him. From record level fines and suspensions for relatively minor indiscretions, bashing from the media and even some of our own fans setting up accounts just to target him it would be fair to understand if he had a chip on his shoulder but like you said he was always great with the fans every time I saw him.

The generation of Friendy, Maubs, SKD, Pearce & Cordner will always hold a strong place in our history. They really were the foundation blocks coming out of the post-Fittler era. Sad to see they've all retired from the NRL now... onto the Generation Next (now there's a throw back, I wonder if anyone has some pictures from that marketing campaign?).

Along with JWH.
JWH I believe has been more significant in the Roosters winning comps than any of the others you mentioned.

[milanja]

Yep agreed, not many Roosters who have played 200+games for our club and he is one of them. I'm glad this olive branch has been extended.

Not sure I've seen a player cop more unfair treatment than him. From record level fines and suspensions for relatively minor indiscretions, bashing from the media and even some of our own fans setting up accounts just to target him it would be fair to understand if he had a chip on his shoulder but like you said he was always great with the fans every time I saw him.

The generation of Friendy, Maubs, SKD, Pearce & Cordner will always hold a strong place in our history. They really were the foundation blocks coming out of the post-Fittler era. Sad to see they've all retired from the NRL now... onto the Generation Next (now there's a throw back, I wonder if anyone has some pictures from that marketing campaign?).

still got the t-shirt along with Freddy’s 5000.

wow how long ago was that campaign that we were only aiming for 5000 membership numbers?

good luck to Pearce, you could love him and curse him weekly, never doubted his effort. Glad he was part of a premiership winning team.

[mattyh]

Along with JWH.
JWH I believe has been more significant in the Roosters winning comps than any of the others you mentioned.

very true

[GC6]

You can’t underestimate how hard he tries. And to compare him with Walker right now. For what Pearce lacks in talent he gains in work. Every coach around the roosters and blues always spoke about how fit he was and how much effort he put in. So surely this is only a good thing for both parties.

[Rooster_6]

Along with JWH.
JWH I believe has been more significant in the Roosters winning comps than any of the others you mentioned.

Fair shout, I didn’t really consider him as he never came through any of the jnr/reserve grades at the club like all the aforementioned did. This was a real changing of the guard for us at the time.

[Bansai Pipeline]

I reckon I'd have Peace back. I think he's better as a mature player.

[Snapn1]

LoL!! Peace back?? Um no , he's only training/ fine tuning his abilities to head over sea's and what better place to do all that than at the Roosters competing against the like of 3time premiership half keary an young gun walker !!!!

[Jacks Fur Coat]

I reckon I'd have Peace back. I think he's better as a mature player.

So all you are saying is give Peace a chance..

[ism22]

There’s more to this from what I understand. Don’t be surprised to see Mitch pull the pin on France and take up a two year deal with us. Trent is keen for him to hang around and mentor the young uns on the finer points of responsible off field behaviour, tasteful body art, and effective 5th tackle options.

What's that weird dead baby that Pearce has anyway?

I swear all tats look stupid and if they don't they will pretty soon as they move/stretch/fade...etc.

How are all those arse tats going for girls who got them in the early 2000's? Mmmm yummy... so hot when they bend over [/sarcasm]

[Monaco's Fan Club]

He will give us insight into Round 1, but I think the benefits will end there

Good luck to him. His father wasn’t a great role model ( even though he was sold as a clean skin )

[Timmah]

So all you are saying is give Peace a chance..

That is just sooo bad JFC…..love it

[Spirit of 66]

Cronk combo would have boosted my game: Pearce


Mitch Pearce has confessed he would have been a better footballer if he’d stayed at the Roosters and played under Cooper Cronk instead of joining the Knights.

Pearce this week left Newcastle to sign with Super League club Catalans Dragons for a two-year stint, with an option for a third.

In a 309-game NRL career full of ups and downs, being replaced as the Roosters’ No.7 because they didn’t see him as a player who could win them another title was his most crushing moment. It doesn’t get more harsh for a player than that. Watching Cronk guide the Tricolours to back-to-back titles would have hurt.

“I don’t hate Cooper,” Pearce said. “I’ve got all the respect in the world for him. He’s a champion player. If I had’ve stayed there I would have become a better footballer.

“I have no doubt about that as I would have learnt a lot from him. I took the opportunity at Newcastle and grew in other ways.”

The man who ultimately had to let Pearce go was Roosters chairman Nick Politis. It’s significant that Politis and Pearce met up last week because the star halfback wanted to farewell Politis and thank him for everything in his career.

Pearce will even train with the Roosters before heading to France. There is no ill will between the pair. Politis often entertained the idea of bringing Pearce back to the club.

Pearce’s resilience has been his strongest asset and that’s what has defined his career and life.

“There’s been some things I’d like to do over or take back but my life has always been about silver linings,” he said. “That’s how my family brought me up. To bounce back.”

An unprompted admission to Nine News during the week that the cancellation of his wedding and breakdown of his relationship with Kristin Scott informed his decision to quit the NRL reflects the honesty he has displayed throughout his career.

Pearce has lived his life in the media spotlight as the son of league great Wayne Pearce. There is no question the pressure of growing up in the spotlight took its toll on him. It would be impossible not to be impacted by the invasion on every part of his life.

Pearce made well-publicised mistakes during his career – but he has always faced up to his part in them. After a drunken Australia Day incident in 2016, for which he was fined $125,000 and suspended for eight NRL games, Pearce went into alcohol rehabilitation.

When he returned he did a dozen or more in-depth interviews baring his soul. It was impressive to see, but also painful to watch. Like with everything in his life and career, he owned it and returned to his best form on the field.