Mitchell Pearce
Encyclopedia
Mitchell Pearce is an Australian rugby league
footballer currently playing for the Sydney Roosters
in the National Rugby League
. A representative for New South Wales in State of Origin
, Pearce's position of choice is halfback.
debut for the Sydney Roosters
on 24 March 2007 against the North Queensland Cowboys
at Dairy Farmers Stadium
. After only three First Grade appearances for the Roosters, Pearce's contract was extended by the club to until the end of the 2010 season.
Pearce had a solid debut season, scoring 2 tries and registering 13 try assists. Despite this, a back injury kept him out of the latter part of the season. In an early career highlight, Pearce ran 80 metres to score a last-minute try, snatching victory for the Sydney Roosters against the Penrith Panthers
in a 24–20 win on 16 June 2007.
in the halves, Pearce had a strong start to the 2008 season. His performances in the early rounds were such that he was considered in the running for the New South Wales halfback position for the 2008 Rugby League State of Origin series
. Pearce's Origin chances were strengthened when he was named as starting half-back for the City Origin Team
in the annual City vs Country Origin
match. In his senior representative debut, Pearce played a solid game, helping City to a 22-all draw with Country. Pearce's Origin dream was finally realised when, on 24 June 2008, it was announced that he would replace the injured Peter Wallace
as halfback for the NSW Blues against Queensland in the 2008 Origin Decider at ANZ Stadium on July 2.
to a season-ending knee injury, he cannot find good form for the Roosters.
and Todd Carney
. The switch of Todd Carney
to his preferred role at five-eighth allowed the two to create a powerful combo which was deemed by many as the best halves pairing in the league. Before Game I of State of Origin, he suffered shoulder injury which put him out six weeks and missed out the opening. He then became the halfback for games II and III of State of Origin. Unfortunately, he had little influence on both games, seemingly reluctant to accept responsibility for play-making. The Sydney Roosters leady by Pearce, set off for a finals charge at the end of the season, and made it to the finals. Carney and Pearce were amazing, in every thing they did. In the first match of the finals, they took on the tigers and we losing by 13 points with 11 minutes on the clock to go. Then Carney chipped and chased and score, meaning the roosters were 7 points behind. Jake Friend came out of dummy-half and passes a brilliant line ball to Carney. Who then passed another perfect line ball which put Mitchell Pearce under the posts. With 1 minute left the tigers had the ball at their 10 m line. The game looked all over for the Roosters before Frank Paul Nuualsala got the ball off the scrum. They passed left, then back right, then Anasta called for the ball and he went for the field goal 40 m out on the sideline and got it in. The game went for 100 minutes, until Shaun Kenny Dowal got an intercept and ran the length of the field to score in the corner.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer currently playing for the Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
in the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
. A representative for New South Wales in State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
, Pearce's position of choice is halfback.
Debut season
Pearce made his National Rugby LeagueNational Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
debut for the Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
on 24 March 2007 against the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
at Dairy Farmers Stadium
Dairy Farmers Stadium
The Willows Sports Complex, currently known as Dairy Farmers Stadium due to sponsorship rights, is a grass football stadium situated in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It has historically been used mainly for rugby league, and is the home ground of the National Rugby League club the North...
. After only three First Grade appearances for the Roosters, Pearce's contract was extended by the club to until the end of the 2010 season.
Pearce had a solid debut season, scoring 2 tries and registering 13 try assists. Despite this, a back injury kept him out of the latter part of the season. In an early career highlight, Pearce ran 80 metres to score a last-minute try, snatching victory for the Sydney Roosters against the Penrith Panthers
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
in a 24–20 win on 16 June 2007.
2008 season
Pairing Braith AnastaBraith Anasta
Braith Anasta is a Greek-Australian professional rugby league footballer who captains the Sydney Roosters of the National Rugby League...
in the halves, Pearce had a strong start to the 2008 season. His performances in the early rounds were such that he was considered in the running for the New South Wales halfback position for the 2008 Rugby League State of Origin series
2008 Rugby League State of Origin series
The 2008 State of Origin series was the 27th year that the annual best-of-three series of interstate rugby league football matches contested between the Queensland and New South Wales representative teams was played under 'State of Origin' selection rules...
. Pearce's Origin chances were strengthened when he was named as starting half-back for the City Origin Team
City Origin Team
The City Origin Team is a representative rugby league team consisting of players formerly of the New South Wales Rugby League competition, one of two federations in the state of New South Wales...
in the annual City vs Country Origin
City vs Country Origin
City vs Country is an annual Australian rugby league football match that takes place in New South Wales between City and Country representative sides. The City side represents the Sydney metropolitan area...
match. In his senior representative debut, Pearce played a solid game, helping City to a 22-all draw with Country. Pearce's Origin dream was finally realised when, on 24 June 2008, it was announced that he would replace the injured Peter Wallace
Peter Wallace
Peter James "Wal" Wallace is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Brisbane Broncos of the NRL. A New South Wales City and State of Origin representative halfback, he also previously played for the Penrith Panthers club.-Early life:Wallace was born in Melbourne and moved to...
as halfback for the NSW Blues against Queensland in the 2008 Origin Decider at ANZ Stadium on July 2.
2009 season
This season is not a good one despite losing partner Braith AnastaBraith Anasta
Braith Anasta is a Greek-Australian professional rugby league footballer who captains the Sydney Roosters of the National Rugby League...
to a season-ending knee injury, he cannot find good form for the Roosters.
2010 season
This season kicked off very well for Mitchell Pearce. He scored 2 tries in Round 1 and also in Round 2. He continued to impress the crowd with his partners, Braith AnastaBraith Anasta
Braith Anasta is a Greek-Australian professional rugby league footballer who captains the Sydney Roosters of the National Rugby League...
and Todd Carney
Todd Carney
Todd Carney is an Australian professional rugby league football player. Carney has represented Australia, Country New South Wales and, in the National Rugby League, the Canberra Raiders between 2003 and 2008, and the Sydney Roosters between 2010 and 2011...
. The switch of Todd Carney
Todd Carney
Todd Carney is an Australian professional rugby league football player. Carney has represented Australia, Country New South Wales and, in the National Rugby League, the Canberra Raiders between 2003 and 2008, and the Sydney Roosters between 2010 and 2011...
to his preferred role at five-eighth allowed the two to create a powerful combo which was deemed by many as the best halves pairing in the league. Before Game I of State of Origin, he suffered shoulder injury which put him out six weeks and missed out the opening. He then became the halfback for games II and III of State of Origin. Unfortunately, he had little influence on both games, seemingly reluctant to accept responsibility for play-making. The Sydney Roosters leady by Pearce, set off for a finals charge at the end of the season, and made it to the finals. Carney and Pearce were amazing, in every thing they did. In the first match of the finals, they took on the tigers and we losing by 13 points with 11 minutes on the clock to go. Then Carney chipped and chased and score, meaning the roosters were 7 points behind. Jake Friend came out of dummy-half and passes a brilliant line ball to Carney. Who then passed another perfect line ball which put Mitchell Pearce under the posts. With 1 minute left the tigers had the ball at their 10 m line. The game looked all over for the Roosters before Frank Paul Nuualsala got the ball off the scrum. They passed left, then back right, then Anasta called for the ball and he went for the field goal 40 m out on the sideline and got it in. The game went for 100 minutes, until Shaun Kenny Dowal got an intercept and ran the length of the field to score in the corner.