Mitchell Pearce - Contract Situation

[Jono078]

Lot of murmurs around Mitchell Pearce and if he or won't he be here next year and I think it's a good discussion on its own.

The only reason there is talk about Pearce moving on is because he only has that 1-year contract with us for 2022.

Have we made a mistake by not giving him a 2-year deal? That would have avoided all this chatter.

If a club signs him for 2023 then you bet they will try get him early and it's not a distraction we can afford.

Is this also a reason we've signed Clune? Is he our contingency plan if Pearce signs with another team for 2023 early on and things then become untenable here.

 

[perverse]

He'll be 34 next year. As big an advocate as I am of our need to have him in the team, I'm also weary of how much more he's got in his legs. I think year by year is reasonable. It really depends on how our other leaders come along, and how he's going at the start/midway through next year.

Having said that, we're a bit f**ked if he does up and leave for next season, because we need him then too. In fact, it's getting kinda desperate that we find more leadership in our team... because I'll be impressed if Pearce has another year in him after next year.

As for Clune, I think it says more about Crossland than Pearce. A backup plan for Pearce might be some distant back of the head thought, but primarily I think it says a lot about the clubs lack of faith in Crossland.

 

[Yosh]

Is there a replacement on the market we can target to replace Pearce. It doesn't really seem like it because everyone is targeting Pearce.

 

[perverse]

Is there a replacement on the market we can target to replace Pearce. It doesn't really seem like it because everyone is targeting Pearce.

Not really, no. Plan "A", I believe, is to move Clifford to 7, Ponga to 6 and bring Hodgson along into the 1. Hard to say if it'll work, and it'll likely have teething pains. It's not the technical aspects of Pearces game that I worry about replacing (although his distribution and organising is underrated by most), it's the intangibles. We don't have anyone else on the team that will take the team by the scruff of the neck and motivate them to dig in and get the win. He's a competitor, he wants to win and is willing to slog his arse off to do it - and it's infectious. It wasn't just last week this was the case, either... his try before half time against Brisbane to put us back in front was another example. These are huge plays at the right time - it's what leaders do. They keep throwing everything they've got at it until they find a way. Just watch him off the ball when we play, he's the talker out there. The one shouting blokes into position.

As I've said before, it doesn't matter who has the C next to their name in our team sheet - when Pearce is on the field it's obvious who is leading the team. Without him, we were a team without any direction, without a clue what we were doing most of the time. With him we look like a team executing the wrong plan, but executing it nonetheless. It's not just replacing a halfback (a very tall order in the NRL in itself), we need to replace a captain too.

 

[Jono078]

So you're saying he is important and hard to replace in the short term (which I agree with). Would you offer him a further extension to eliminate this talk/distraction of him leaving us?

I've been going to and fro about what is better for us. It's a solid commitment to offer him a further year extension but is it worth it to keep him here next year with no distractions?

At some stage or another Pearce will have to secure his job for 2023, somewhere. We just hope it doesn't become a distraction and talk of an early exit is a weekly thing.

 

[aqua_duck]

He'll be 34 next year. As big an advocate as I am of our need to have him in the team, I'm also weary of how much more he's got in his legs. I think year by year is reasonable. It really depends on how our other leaders come along, and how he's going at the start/midway through next year.

Having said that, we're a bit f**ked if he does up and leave for next season, because we need him then too. In fact, it's getting kinda desperate that we find more leadership in our team... because I'll be impressed if Pearce has another year in him after next year.

As for Clune, I think it says more about Crossland than Pearce. A backup plan for Pearce might be some distant back of the head thought, but primarily I think it says a lot about the clubs lack of faith in Crossland.

Agreed. Pearce obviously brings alot to the table in terms of intangibles and on field leadership but also has quite a few limitations now especially in terms of speed which I believe is more important than ever now under Vlandys ball. I'm hopeful that by 2023 guys like Clifford , KP, and Brailey will be assertive enough to take the bull by the horns when Pearce isn't there.
In terms of who plays 7, there's a few young guys off contract for 2023 in Jock Madden, Chanel Harris Tevita and Jayden Sullivan, one smokey is Jakob Arthur who will behind Dylan Brown and Moses and given AOB and Brad Arthur are best mates there's a connection there.

 

[perverse]

In terms of who plays 7, there's a few young guys off contract for 2023 in Jock Madden, Chanel Harris Tevita and Jayden Sullivan, one smokey is Jakob Arthur who will behind Dylan Brown and Moses and given AOB and Brad Arthur are best mates there's a connection there.

The worry I have is that at some point we need a stable spine to challenge for a premiership. For years and years we've been headhunting young halves, trying to develop our own, etc. Taking punts, basically - and it never seems to pay off for us. There's a lot of factors to consider - but ideally we want someone who is going to peak around the same time as the rest of our spine.

We can sit around and name kids running around in lower comps all we like, but we're going to be entering into the prime years for Ponga, Brailey and Clifford in the next few years. I don't want us to be chopping and changing our halves over that time if we can avoid it, because it feels like just pissing another opportunity for us straight up the wall again. Not saying you're wrong at all, I just guess I'm lamenting the fact that after next year we're right back into punting territory again with Hodgson/bringing in another kid - rather than wondering if we can snag a proven performer again.

 

[Yosh]

It seems like Ponga, Clifford and Hodgson are impulse halves who play what they see. Seems we need an organizing half in the mold of Adam Ryendols, DCE or Nathan Cleary. Doesn't seem to be many in the NRL to be honest.

Maybe one step down is someone like Jamaal Forgethy?

 

[slotmachine]

I really hope Clifford/KP in the halves works out because it's way easier to find a decent fullback if Hodgson is a flop.

 

[aqua_duck]

The worry I have is that at some point we need a stable spine to challenge for a premiership. For years and years we've been headhunting young halves, trying to develop our own, etc. Taking punts, basically - and it never seems to pay off for us. There's a lot of factors to consider - but ideally we want someone who is going to peak around the same time as the rest of our spine.

We can sit around and name kids running around in lower comps all we like, but we're going to be entering into the prime years for Ponga, Brailey and Clifford in the next few years. I don't want us to be chopping and changing our halves over that time if we can avoid it, because it feels like just pissing another opportunity for us straight up the wall again. Not saying you're wrong at all, I just guess I'm lamenting the fact that after next year we're right back into punting territory again with Hodgson/bringing in another kid - rather than wondering if we can snag a proven performer again.

Obviously the hope is KP develops into a 5/8th because I think Clifford can be a lead half as he showed alongside Drinkwater who's more off the cuff but if we go away from that and decide on a like for like replacement for Pearce there are a few options out there

 

[Yosh]

Obviously the hope is KP develops into a 5/8th because I think Clifford can be a lead half as he showed alongside Drinkwater who's more off the cuff but if we go away from that and decide on a like for like replacement for Pearce there are a few options out there

I want to see more Clifford on the right. I think he looks a lot more natural there. Ponga is a natural on the left. Could be ideal really.

Crazy idea, Clifford right, Ponga left, Hodgson at fullback and Pearce moves into the middle as a ball playing lock.

 

[Knight Tales]

I wouldn’t be letting him go. The issue though is he is demand. The clubs chasing him are desperate for a half. Obi indicated he won’t be letting him go without a fight on radio the other day.
I would not discount his combo with Cliff. They are yet to lose. That sort of confidence we have been waiting a long time for. Also Knowles may be our golden goose when it comes to prolonging Mitch’s career.

 

[Burwood]

You’d only let him go for a player swap. But let’s be honest, with the clubs chasing him, which of their players would you actually want?

 

[ryana87]

Any trade would be a downgrade if it wasn't Cleary or DCE

Hughes and Walker would be a slight upgrade, but think they just look good because of the teams they are in

 

[Knight Tales]

I want to see more Clifford on the right. I think he looks a lot more natural there. Ponga is a natural on the left. Could be ideal really.

Crazy idea, Clifford right, Ponga left, Hodgson at fullback and Pearce moves into the middle as a ball playing lock.

Clifford is adding strings to his bow every week. He has made some huge plays since arriving here. It is no coincidence his arrival has heralded our form shift. I cannot wait to see him with a full offseason under his belt, with the spine, in 2022.

 

[Jono078]

Clifford is adding strings to his bow every week. He has made some huge plays since arriving here. It is no coincidence his arrival has heralded our form shift. I cannot wait to see him with a full offseason under his belt, with the spine, in 2022.

An even bigger indicator is the Cowboys collapse without him.

Clifford is a young bloke but I'm sure he'll end up with qualities similar to Pearce, he just needs time to earn the respect. I've never doubted his attitude and effort plays since arriving.

Another compliment I can give him is he has a "Newcastle" quality about him. If he came through our juniors the fanbase would be going mad over him.

 

[Burwood]

Another compliment I can give him is he has a "Newcastle" quality about him. If he came through our juniors the fanbase would be going mad over him.

If he came through our juniors, he'd be a massive disappointment and already playing reserves for the Bulldogs.

 

[Jono078]

If he came through our juniors, he'd be a massive disappointment and already playing reserves for the Bulldogs.

Touche, hard to argue haha.

What's Mullen up to these days? Did he recover from shoulder injury? Has he still been playing footy in Qld?

 

[The Axe of Druss]

Touche, hard to argue haha.

What's Mullen up to these days? Did he recover from shoulder injury? Has he still been playing footy in Qld?

Did his shoulder in his first game for the Falcons and hasnt played since. Hes back at training though

 

[Jono078]

Did his shoulder in his first game for the Falcons and hasnt played since. Hes back at training though

Must've lost his Wolverine like healing abilities!