Mitchell Pearce

[Tommy Smith]

Forgive me for doing my best impression of an overzealous Raiders fan (Carney's the greatest, Mighty Matt Gafa will be the best winger ever!) but i can't help but get excited over just how good Mitchell Pearce is going to be.

I consider Joey Johns a pretty good judge of halfback talent and he has a huge wrap on Mitchy. Said today on the Footy Show that he'll be playing for Australia within 3 years.

The improvement he's already shown is immense. Passing, running, kicking, leadership qualities...he's got it all. When you consider he's just turned 18 and is playing the most important position on the field, it's quite scary to think of the amount of improvement he has in him.

Fear not NSW because you have a 10-year halfback in the wings...

 

[lockyno1]

Not unless Thurston is injured he won't..look at the halves ahead of him Tommy..Thurston, Prince, Cronk, Mullen, etc. Will he play for australia..probally but he won't be playing within 3 years UNLESS there is massive injuries!

 

[Mal Meninga]

Improving but not to the point where he's a shoe-in for any rep footy in his career.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

he needs to get this year over with, he still puts in ordinary performances, did you watch saturday night? he was ordinary for us, compared to the week before, he really is a 50/50 player at the moment, the last thing we need is joey johns putting pressure on him, piss off barge arse worry about mullen

 

[sydraider]

Not unless Thurston is injured he won't..look at the halves ahead of him Tommy..Thurston, Prince, Cronk, Mullen, etc. Will he play for australia..probally but he won't be playing within 3 years UNLESS there is massive injuries!

Mullen is a 5/8 now apparently!

 

[Jono078]

He is looking awsome imo.

Will be better halfback than Mullen.

Still Carney V Mullen for 5/8th now

 

[Eelementary]

Joey also had big raps on Tim Smith...In fact, I recall him saying that he would be Queensland's long-term halfback once Lockyer retired and Thurston moved to 5/8 or something like that...

Now, I don't know about you, but I think Smith is talented but very, very inconsistent...

 

[sydraider]

Joey also had big raps on Tim Smith...In fact, I recall him saying that he would be Queensland's long-term halfback once Lockyer retired and Thurston moved to 5/8 or something like that...

Now, I don't know about you, but I think Smith is talented but very, very inconsistent...

Smith hasnt done much since 05 which is a shame really cos he has the goods!

 

[donkey|rope]

maybe nsw if he keeps improving at the rate he's going but i wouldn't really stake anything of value on it. and even then the chances he'll play for australia are slim at best; thurston, prince and cronk would have to be dead.

 

[lockyno1]

Mullen is a 5/8 now apparently!

Yep and Thurston is only in his mid 20's and has YEARS of playing rep footy. No way will Pearce be selected over Thurston for AT LEAST 5-6 years minimum.

 

[Eelementary]

Smith hasnt done much since 05 which is a shame really cos he has the goods!

That's right. That's exactly what I mean - when Smith burst onto the scene, he was "the next Peter Sterling". Joey and many other good critics predicted he'd be playing rep footy very, very soon...And what's happened?

I'm impressed as hell by Pearce - he's a super, super talent. But what's to stop him going down the same path as Smith?

 

[Tommy Smith]

Not unless Thurston is injured he won't..look at the halves ahead of him Tommy..Thurston, Prince, Cronk, Mullen, etc. Will he play for australia..probally but he won't be playing within 3 years UNLESS there is massive injuries!

With a player the quality of Thurtson ahead fo him it wont be easy to take the no.7 in 3 years, but alot can happen in that time frame. The thing we have to remember is that he is only 18...how good was Joey etc at 18? Thurston didnt play 1st grade until he was what? 20? Warren Ryan said he plays like a 24 year old...and i cant wait to see how good he is when he does turn 24.

Early days, i know, but like Todd Carney this kid is a genuine talent. It's a matter of "when" he becomes an absolute superstar, not "if".

 

[lockyno1]

ill not happen in 3 years- there is quite a few halves ahead of him imo.

 

[Big Mick]

Cronk + Prince ---> Tim Smith

 

[Eelementary]

Cronk + Prince ---> Tim Smith

You won't hear me complain - he's fallen so far down it's not funny.

But the issue was that, much like Carney and Pearce, Tim Smith was the next big thing a few years ago...And now...

Doesn't matter, anyway, because Kris Keating will be better than Pearce, Smith, Cronk, Prince, Carney and Orford put together.

 

[Tommy Smith]

ill not happen in 3 years- there is quite a few halves ahead of him imo.

Could you have ever envisioned 3 years ago that JT would be an automatic selection as the Australian halfback? Im sure you would have said no-one will get past Joey until he retires whcih we also wouldnt have predicted would have happened this year.

So, so much can happen in 3 years. You need to remember that when predicting 3 years down the track with such certainty.

 

[Tommy Smith]

You won't hear me complain - he's fallen so far down it's not funny.

But the issue was that, much like Carney and Pearce, Tim Smith was the next big thing a few years ago...And now...

Doesn't matter, anyway, because Kris Keating will be better than Pearce, Smith, Cronk, Prince, Carney and Orford put together.

heh...who the bloody hell is that?

 

[Eelementary]

heh...who the bloody hell is that?

:lol:

Eels lower grade halfback. Super talent. I talked him up excessively as a joke. But he is far, far better than Smith - has a running game, a kicking game, a passing game and he can tackle.

 

[lockyno1]

heh...who the bloody hell is that?

Parra Eels no7 in PL- very good player but young and is being nutured through the grades.

 

[Eelementary]

Ta, locky.

Yeah I believe he's being groomed as our 5/8, seeing as Blake Green (another young talent to look out for at Cronulla next year) is leaving.