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Mitchell Pearce, what does he do well?

Walk On Home Boy

Walk On Home Boy

Bench
Messages
2,698
Reading AOB's comments re Pearce has me extremely concerned. Either he's flat out lying or he's not the intelligent modern day coach we all thought he was. How anyone can defend Pearce for his consistent awful form and failure to learn or evolve is beyond comprehension. Mitchell Pearce is the sole reason we lost quite a few games this season. There was a period when the pack was absolutely dominating week to week and ended up totally demoralised because all their hard work was being undone time and again by Pearce's soul destroying last play options.

I strongly believe we make the Top 4 this year with a decent halfback. That's how pathetic he was this year imo. If AOB is going to be successful here, he needs to make the big calls and put an end to another boys club before the rot sets in again. I can't even entertain the thought of resigning him because we really should actually be talking about shopping him around and offloading him before the 2021 season begins. There is no player available or remotely in our budget that can save us from another season of frustration and inevitable mediocrity whilst Mitchell Pearce is leeching $1m of our cap and sabotaging our chances on the field. Imo, it's a must that we expunge him immediately, even if it means we have to foot part of the bill. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain. The guy at his age is not going to improve and has shown he is incapable of learning. Surely common sense will prevail. Frizell and Brailey are not going to fix this issue.
 
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O

Old dog

Juniors
Messages
2,492
Play enough games, represent at top level, SOO etc you will always get strong support from those experts.
In defence of that I rate Sterling very high along with Gus in assessment of players and ability
 
Apey

Apey

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
27,052
Loose Cannon said:
Jeez.

Sterling is supposed to be the clever 9 personality!
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Knight Vision said:
wow

The others on that list made their teams better whereas Pearce had to leave to make his team better

No way known to man the Pearce would rank so highly if he werent surrounded by a champion team most of his career.
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I think he was spot on with his top 3. After that though... is that really how big a drop it is?
 
Knight Vision

Knight Vision

First Grade
Messages
5,066
Apey said:
I think he was spot on with his top 3. After that though... is that really how big a drop it is?
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Yep, the standard of halfbacks really is in a bad way. I remember when the competition was flush with good to great and exciting halves. I think around the time even before Joey's retirement was the end of it.
 
S

Spot On

Coach
Messages
13,902
Walk On Home Boy said:
Reading AOB's comments re Pearce has me extremely concerned. Either he's flat out lying or he's not the intelligent modern day coach we all thought he was. How anyone can defend Pearce for his consistent awful form and failure to learn or evolve is beyond comprehension. Mitchell Pearce is the sole reason we lost quite a few games this season. There was a period when the pack was absolutely dominating week to week and ended up totally demoralised because all their hard work was being undone time and again by Pearce's soul destroying last play options.

I strongly believe we make the Top 4 this year with a decent halfback. That's how pathetic he was this year imo. If AOB is going to be successful here, he needs to make the big calls and put an end to another boys club before the rot sets in again. I can't even entertain the thought of resigning him because we really should actually be talking about shopping him around and offloading him before the 2021 season begins. There is no player available or remotely in our budget that can save us from another season of frustration and inevitable mediocrity whilst Mitchell Pearce is leeching $1m of our cap and sabotaging our chances on the field. Imo, it's a must that we expunge him immediately, even if it means we have to foot part of the bill. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain. The guy at his age is not going to improve and has shown he is incapable of learning. Surely common sense will prevail. Frizell and Brailey are not going to fix this issue.
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Nathan Brown took a massive punt on Pearce... and in the end lost.

O'Brien may well go the same way if he gives him an extension past 2021.

I agree with you re his comments being of concern... but it's his job at the end of the day. I'd be shocked if he is remotely happy having a million invested in a halfback that dished up a season like this one... and lacks the skillset a good NRL half should apply every week... especially a 300 gamer.
 
aqua_duck

aqua_duck

Coach
Messages
18,351
You know who Pearce reminds me of in terms of escaping criticism, Josh Jackson. Jackson by his own admission had a bad year, statistically he had a bad year, nsw only started winning after the got rid of him, most dogs fans on the kennel don't even rate him, yet the so called experts kiss the ground he walks on, with Gallen even suggesting he takes Frizzell's spot in origin despite Frizzell having a better origin record, and literally dominating Jackson is every conceivable stat.
These guys have built a career on effort and being surrounded by good teams most of their careers, I believe a lot of pundits just have preconceived ideas about these players always being consistent players who give their all.
 
Knight Vision

Knight Vision

First Grade
Messages
5,066
If we can see it as plain as day then surely AOB knows.

Another year of Pearce and if we get a good 5/8 to take control we may have limited success and again make the 8 but not be a serious contender.

Talk of extending him is pure madness.
 
aqua_duck

aqua_duck

Coach
Messages
18,351
Knight Vision said:
If we can see it as plain as day then surely AOB knows.

Another year of Pearce and if we get a good 5/8 to take control we may have limited success and again make the 8 but not be a serious contender.

Talk of extending him is pure madness.
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The only scenario I could understand extending him is if the price was closer to the $400k mark and even then I'd still be apprehensive, to extend him for anywhere near his current price tag would be salary cap suicide
 
Knight Vision

Knight Vision

First Grade
Messages
5,066
aqua_duck said:
The only scenario I could understand extending him is if the price was closer to the $400k mark and even then I'd still be apprehensive, to extend him for anywhere near his current price tag would be salary cap suicide
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now that might be acceptable and would allow us to chase a top halves partner to lead us into the future.
 
Knight76

Knight76

Juniors
Messages
2,044
Some of the comments I hear from AOB concern me a little. And surely his assistant coaches see it and bring stuff up with him. Or are assistant coaches all yes men that only implement AOB's plans?
 
Knight Tales

Knight Tales

Juniors
Messages
2,458
We need to find a way to keep McCullough. If we could I feel Pearce and a quality 6 might work. This kid from England, Bailey Hodgson, is a fullback in wait by all accounts. If we wanted to fix short term then Hodgson plays 1, KP to 6, and switch out Mann (if that talk is even accurate) for McCullough at 9. Brailey is a quality kid and player but we don’t have that luxury.
 
Knight Tales

Knight Tales

Juniors
Messages
2,458
Frederick said:
Why when we have Brailey?
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That’s the sticking point. I was thinking more McCullough’s experience in big games to help Pearce with his shortcomings as Brailey is developing his own game. I’d imagine we signed Brailey on decent t coin which makes the balance near impossible.
 
aqua_duck

aqua_duck

Coach
Messages
18,351
Knight Tales said:
We need to find a way to keep McCullough. If we could I feel Pearce and a quality 6 might work. This kid from England, Bailey Hodgson, is a fullback in wait by all accounts. If we wanted to fix short term then Hodgson plays 1, KP to 6, and switch out Mann (if that talk is even accurate) for McCullough at 9. Brailey is a quality kid and player but we don’t have that luxury.
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Mccullough has a $600k option at the Broncos it'd be absurd to even try to get near that when Brailey is arguably just a good a dummy half.
Also I don't feel Ponga at 6 actually helps Pearce as Ponga doesn't complement Pearce's main weaknesses in kicking, organising, he's just an extremely upgraded version of Kurt Mann.
 
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