Mitchell Pearce

[Allstar Knights]

Carney is a 6, but he's just as good at 7 IMO. I honestly thought he played some of his best footy for the Roosters when Pearce was out injured and he had to play halfback.

Pearce is a pretty good organing and defensive halfback, but I don't see him as a long term option. He can't dominate games and he can't pull out the big plays like a Thurston or Cronk can. We need halves that can do this, especially if we're going with a one dimensional hooer again in Ennis.

With Carney at 7, that allows a Maloney/Mullen/Campese/Soward to play at 6.

 

[adamkungl]

I thought Roosters were woeful without Pearce in 2010. Scraped through some games on sheer luck + Anasta refusing to give up.

We demolished Melbourne without their Origin stars though

 

[Joker's Wild]

Yeah I thought the Roosters looked shaky with Carney running the show. He is certainly not an organising player and like Mullen is best at just playing the options in front of him.

Pearce will do at halfback, who we pick outside him at 5/8 will make or break the series for NSW

 

[adamkungl]

Soward was passable last year but imo needed to let Pearce run the show and concentrate on feeding good ball to his outside backs.

 

[watatank]

I think it's more of a stretch to say that DCE will be the Australian 7 than it is for Pearce. They're the same age and Pearce has been around a lot longer and achieved more at this stage.

 

[Valheru]

The criticism of Pearce is ridiculous. Unfortunately for him it is easy to blame the playmakers for losing a game and he also plays for the roosters so the haters come out in full force.

Over the 6 years NSW have been dominated in all positions, not just halfback. I think a Pearce/Carney combination is the best we can hope for. Pearce to organise the show and we need a guy like Carney who can produce anything at anytime.

Hayne in 2009 form would be good too.

 

[adamkungl]

This year will be interesting. I'll agree that it's time for Pearce to start showing the week in week out consistency expected of a top line half. Can take a game by the throat, just need to see it more often.

 

[Big Pete]

Pearce has had 2 seasons topping halfback statistics (or thereabouts ) , 08 and 10.

Depending if you consider halfback statistics try assists and line break assists he wasn't in the Top 5 in either category in either year.

I think it's more of a stretch to say that DCE will be the Australian 7 than it is for Pearce. They're the same age and Pearce has been around a lot longer and achieved more at this stage.

Considering DCE has already made his test debut I don't think there's any stretch required.

 

[adamkungl]

Depending if you consider halfback statistics try assists and line break assists he wasn't in the Top 5 in either category in either year.

Really? My bad.

What were the stats for 2010?

I thought Walsh had the most TAs followed by Pearce, Soward, Thurston and Carney in not necessarily that order

 

[Big Pete]

Top 5 Linebreak Assists
Jonathan Thurston - 23
Benji Marshall - 20
Billy Slater - 18
Luke Lewis - 17
Jarryd Hayne - 17
Todd Carney - 17

I think Pearce was next cab off the rank with 15, the list ended there.

Top Try Assists
Luke Walsh - 29
Robbie Farah - 25
Scott Prince - 22
Benji Marshall - 21

It was actually only a top 4 and I can't find a comprehensive overall stats. list after this. Maybe Mitch was the mysterious 5th player?

 

[sputneek]

Most of those aren't halfbacks.

 

[adamkungl]

Top 5 Linebreak Assists
Jonathan Thurston - 23
Benji Marshall - 20
Billy Slater - 18
Luke Lewis - 17
Jarryd Hayne - 17
Todd Carney - 17

I think Pearce was next cab off the rank with 15, the list ended there.

so, Pearce would be the top halfback then

Top Try Assists
Luke Walsh - 29
Robbie Farah - 25
Scott Prince - 22
Benji Marshall - 21

It was actually only a top 4 and I can't find a comprehensive overall stats. list after this. Maybe Mitch was the mysterious 5th player?

Again, vaguely recall him being towards the top for halfbacks.

There was a site I used to use, can't remember the name now, but it was a massive database of player and team stats which could be organised in terms of position, stat, in whatever order you wanted. It was excellent - dropped off the net before 2011 i think.

It's pretty pathetic that there's no publicly available statistics database for NRL.

 

[Big Pete]

so, Pearce would be the top halfback then

I suppose he'd be second behind JT in that category if you were just talking about halfbacks. I was a bit more literal with your post and just looked at the stats themselves.

And yeah NRL stats. was awesome. It still kind of is, but I miss having the database.

 

[God-King Dean]

I don't get the the Campese wankfest.

He had a good 2nd half of 2008, good 2nd half of 2010. 12 month of good football. Other than that he's been average.

 

[Talanexor]

My smokey is Hayne.

I can't see Kearney persisting with Ben Roberts in the halves for the Eels - he's not good enough to be anything more than a fringe first grader - and Hayne's role is as a playmaker now anyway. Hayne's bad defensive positioning at fullback and tendency to go missing in games would both be cured if he shifted to five-eighth full time.

1. Dugan/Stewart
6. Hayne
7. Pearce
9. Gidley

That spine might actually give QLD a run for its money, especially without Lockyer there to run the show.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Yeah Id be open to Hayne getting the 5/8 position if he is going well there for the Eels in 2012

 

[watatank]

Considering DCE has already made his test debut I don't think there's any stretch required.

Was talking about long term option...don't think DCE has done enough to get recognition purely on merit

 

[Desert Qlder]

Was talking about long term option...don't think DCE has done enough to get recognition purely on merit

Well selectors are thinking differently, thankfully.

Daly Cherry-Evans is firmly in the succession plans now, evidenced by his selection in the recent squad. No such honour was bestowed upon Pearce in spite of him being around longer, whatever that means.

I found it curious also you mentioned he's achieved more, which upon examination is a hysterically ignorant statement considering Cherry-Evans has won a premiership and Pearce has not. And although Pearce has represented his state it is basically been by default through lack of better options.

 

[THE CHAMP]

Pearce is the best option by far.
Excellent defence. Qld defence just too good at present for him to do much in attack.
Buderis may be an option at hooker also. Depends on how he starts the season.
As a maroons supporter im hoping the selectors stick with Ennis tho. Hes just so shockingly shithouse i cry laughing.

 

[God-King Dean]

Wrap around to a forward....
Wrap around to a forward....
Wrap around to a forward....
Put a bomb....

Wrap around to a forward....
Wrap around to a forward....
Wrap around to a forward....
Put a bomb....

And so on & so forth....