Dragons chasing Mitchell Pearce

[dragondad]

A few years ago Manly was going very hard for Benny Creagh but he refused it. He's a Red V man.

 

[Fire]

Relax. One campaign at a time.

 

[Minh]

How the hell do they have cape space to take all these players?

Maybe Tinkler can shout them a very expensive coffee.:crazy:

 

[Minh]

Or a horse.:sarcasm:

 

[_Johnsy]

I wouldnt describe them as disloyal, but has their loyalty ever been tested...?

You are aware that all the players you mention have taken more than one pay cut to stay together as a group. It is common knowledge that all have been offered more elsewhere but stayed.

Extremely loyal I'd say.

 

[grouch]

dragons.com.au have an "in the sheds" video from Wednesday's game (great viewing btw). Ben Hornby actually says that several players have accepted less money to stay with the club. Says it.

 

[Fire]

Cooper, Young, Hornby and Creagh have all taken pay cuts to stay together. Young and Creagh both mentioned this when Young announced his retirement and Hornby mentioned this after the ANZAC game.

Merrin mentioned that he took a pay cut when he re-signed this year as he was appreciative of the help that the four above mentioned players have given him.

I also think the next 'senior playing group' will do the same. i.e., Morris, Nightingale and Hunt will all take pay cuts to stay together.

We have a great culture at this club.

Getting back to the original topic, I don't want Pearce. The fact is you can't win a comp every year. Price mentioned that he was thinking of grooming Stanley as a half-back.

We could also groom one of our juniors.

 

[eozsmiles]

I think Pearce would go really well at the Dragons. Playing for a 50/50 team like Roosters is sh!t for a half back. Dragons have always had decent forward packs and that will continue with guys like Merrin and Hunt coming through. Pearce has all the skills and some experience now, he'd go well with any of the consistently top teams ie Storm, Manly, Broncos, Dragons.

I read that Stanley is looking to be groomed to play half back. Could he play six if Pearce comes and both Soward and Hornby move on?

 

[Drain the Dragon]

If the Rooters really want to keep, him he will stay. They have a sugar daddy taking care of all their expenses.

There's still a salary cap to consider. Even if Schubert is an ex-rooster I think they'll be watching them very closely once they sign SBW, on top of Maloney and having just retained JWH. They also have NZ internationals SKD and Perrett on their books.

If the Pearce thing turned into a Cronk-like bidding war then it's probably likely he'll go with the highest money on offer.

 

[bottle]

Ok, I need someone with a better football mind than mine to explain to me the allure of Pearce. I have to admit, I have never been a fan. I have heard his virtues being extolled for years now by the likes of Johns et al, who's expertise on the matter I wouldn't bring in to question. I just don't get why. I have watched him underperform at SOO level, and have been wholly underwhelmed by his performance time and again in that arena, club games and in a GF.
I was at the Anzac Day game, and have watched a replay. This is what I saw. An excellent kicking game that produced tries, including a good effort to pursue his own kick and get a result. Good tactical kicking that gained territory and/or trapped us in goal. Good kick chase, solid defense. Only the one try though through the hands that was actually as a result of an error.
No running game, no hole passes, no playmaking, no creativity that made me think 'Wow, what a talent'. Staid at best. Catch and pass. Our guys do it and get lambasted by a number on here who want to do a number on them with the old catch cry of 'Uncreative!!'.
I saw a pair of halves that gutsed their way to a victory off the back of a 16 man squad for 3/4 of the game, including 5 players from memory who had just played within 3-5 days of that match. I saw another pair of halves that included the incumbent NSW HB that couldn't take their team home off an 8 point lead with 5 mins to go. I saw, correct me if I'm out of line, Ben Hornby outperform Mitchell Pearce, and lead his mob home.
I'm prepared to be schooled. Can the pro Pearce brigade tell me what to look out for that makes him a better than average half. I'm talking now, not schoolboys and past youth achievemments, or even the future. How is he better than Captain our Captain.
Granted we will need another HB at some point in the near future. However given that rumours have Pearce on about $400K a year, or more depending upon which scuttlebutt you prefer, what makes him so desirable a buy? I'm prepared to listen to anyone who has an opinion, Roosters fan, neutral or Saints fan, and wants to argue his case. I admit I'm not going to be easy to win over, but I am prepared to try and learn.
Bear in mind this is in relation to his playing talents only. The fact that I don't go much on him as a person i will try and set aside for now.

 

[sputneek]

BJ -> Tigers :lol:
JWH -> Anywhere but Easts :lol:
Pearce -> Merge :lol:

 

[bottle]

Thanks, that was enlightening.

 

[Fire]

Thanks, that was enlightening.

x2

 

[Drain the Dragon]

BJ -> Tigers :lol:

BJ? Is that a Benji/Moltzen in-joke?

 

[Drain the Dragon]

BJ -> Tigers :lol:
JWH -> Anywhere but Easts :lol:
Pearce -> Merge :lol:

28-24 :lol::lol:

 

[Fire]

Hmmmm, I dunno. I'm in the same boat as you Bottle. There's something that irks me about him as a person.

The media has hyped him up, naturally, because of his old man. In the big games I really don't think he has aimed up (i.e., the GF, SOOs). And I agree, he doesn't do anything more than what people 'criticise' Hornby for.

I hope to God we develop a junior for our half-back. I'll have a lot of pride watching the Dragons being steered around the paddock by a General from our own ranks.

 

[Saint69]

Ok, I need someone with a better football mind than mine to explain to me the allure of Pearce. I have to admit, I have never been a fan. I have heard his virtues being extolled for years now by the likes of Johns et al, who's expertise on the matter I wouldn't bring in to question. I just don't get why. I have watched him underperform at SOO level, and have been wholly underwhelmed by his performance time and again in that arena, club games and in a GF.
I was at the Anzac Day game, and have watched a replay. This is what I saw. An excellent kicking game that produced tries, including a good effort to pursue his own kick and get a result. Good tactical kicking that gained territory and/or trapped us in goal. Good kick chase, solid defense. Only the one try though through the hands that was actually as a result of an error.
No running game, no hole passes, no playmaking, no creativity that made me think 'Wow, what a talent'. Staid at best. Catch and pass. Our guys do it and get lambasted by a number on here who want to do a number on them with the old catch cry of 'Uncreative!!'.
I saw a pair of halves that gutsed their way to a victory off the back of a 16 man squad for 3/4 of the game, including 5 players from memory who had just played within 3-5 days of that match. I saw another pair of halves that included the incumbent NSW HB that couldn't take their team home off an 8 point lead with 5 mins to go. I saw, correct me if I'm out of line, Ben Hornby outperform Mitchell Pearce, and lead his mob home.
I'm prepared to be schooled. Can the pro Pearce brigade tell me what to look out for that makes him a better than average half. I'm talking now, not schoolboys and past youth achievemments, or even the future. How is he better than Captain our Captain.
Granted we will need another HB at some point in the near future. However given that rumours have Pearce on about $400K a year, or more depending upon which scuttlebutt you prefer, what makes him so desirable a buy? I'm prepared to listen to anyone who has an opinion, Roosters fan, neutral or Saints fan, and wants to argue his case. I admit I'm not going to be easy to win over, but I am prepared to try and learn.
Bear in mind this is in relation to his playing talents only. The fact that I don't go much on him as a person i will try and set aside for now.

You make some good points regarding our performance after Beau Scott left the field I think 21 mins in the first half and having Fien and Nightingale back up from the Test and Weyman,Merrin,Scott,Creagh and Morris back up from the City-Country game,I actually mentioned to my better half when Beau went off that we would do well to win with only 16 players let alone the fact we had 7 backing up as well.
In regards to Pearce I think he is a good solid player,still only young and I believe will get better,he is not at the level of Cronk or Thurston,though he is 5 to 6 years younger than both so plenty of time to improve.
As for the Anzac game I thought Ben Hornby and Sowie both played well and was more than happy to see Hornby lead us to a Great win and get MOM as well as breaking the games record,the only thing is I think Pearce probably gets MOM if the chooks get up as he had the most influence over their performance to be in with a big chance of winning up until Creagh scores.I just hope that whoever plays half for NSW this year has the games of their lives behind strong forward packs to finally shut up those nth of the border,slightly off topic.

 

[Drain the Dragon]

Hmmmm, I dunno. I'm in the same boat as you Bottle. There's something that irks me about him as a person.

The media has hyped him up, naturally, because of his old man. In the big games I really don't think he has aimed up (i.e., the GF, SOOs). And I agree, he doesn't do anything more than what people 'criticise' Hornby for.

I hope to God we develop a junior for our half-back. I'll have a lot of pride watching the Dragons being steered around the paddock by a General from our own ranks.

I'm not keen either. He doesn't appeal as someone who would blend in to the Dragon's culture. If we have to look outside our own, I'd be happier with Ben Hunt, Sam Williams or Chad Townsend.

 

[Saint69]

Forgot to add that no matter the opinion on Pearce,unless his game goes right down the Gurgler before his next contract signing,which is doubtful,he is likely to command similar coin to what Cherry Evans and Foran is rumoured to be signing for,somewhere in the $600-$700,000 range simply because of his current standing and the next television deal which if it goes for over a billion there is a fair chance next years cap will be over $5 mill per team.
I agree that it would be preferable to develop our own or sign someone for less coin,though if he is the best available if we dont go after Thurston then we would have to pay the market rate,which if he is already on $400,000 will be a fair way above that.

 

[RedVee]

Pearce is a good player, good defence for a half as well. Would I pay $ 650+ for him?
No thanks. Foran, possibly but no longer available. Did we have a crack for him?