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Sydney Roosters halfback Mitchell Pearce says it is time for young players in side to step up
by: Josh Massoud From: The Daily Telegraph January 01, 2013 11:30PM
Roosters half Mitchell Pearce doing sprint in Centennial Park. Picture: Bob Barker Source: The Daily Telegraph
ELEVATED to within sight of the vacant Roosters captaincy, Mitchell Pearce has declared the time has arrived for his young teammates to "step up and start taking control".
New Roosters coach Trent Robinson is yet to announce his skipper for 2013, but has appointed Pearce to a seven-man leadership group that also includes Anthony Minichiello, Aiden Guerra, Jake Friend, Martin Kennedy, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Shaun Kenny-Dowall.
While Pearce expects veteran fullback Minichiello to be made captain, he wants 2013 to be recalled as a coming of age for the club's next generation.
"We've had a leadership group in the past, but there hasn't been as much focus on it as this year," Pearce said. "We've lost a lot of older players over the years, and losing Braith (Anasta) has probably left a hole in terms of an experienced head.
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"Mini is still there but that's about it. So it's time for us younger guys to step up and start taking control. It's not as if we haven't got plenty of experience. Most of us have played over 100 games.
"It's about taking responsibility and going about your business with a focus.
"It's a real skill and it's about time we started to take responsibility. I'm not saying it's easy. It's a challenge, but it's a good challenge. It helps you develop and we'll end up with a good culture."
During their past two years of underachievement, the Roosters have stumbled through disciplinary slip-ups and wild form fluctuations on the paddock.
Preparing for his seventh season at just 23 years of age, Pearce is no stranger to public scrutiny after enduring the spotlight for much of 2012.
Asked what the team had learned from last year, the Origin half replied: "There's no doubt the biggest thing is that everyone needs to be 100 per cent committed to footy.
"If we can get that right and everyone on the same page, we'll give it a shot.
"Last year, we weren't consistent the way we thought about footy. We showed we could do it, but not on a regular basis. That's a mental thing. We need to work on that and be better than the rest."Roosters players have quickly embraced Robinson's new style.
"I wouldn't say our training has been harder than last year, but probably smarter," Pearce said. "We're training to execute our game plan at all stages, so doing a lot of things under fatigue.
"Having a new coach, we're going through a few new plays and new calls.
"Robbo is a very composed bloke and he seems to know the players very well.
"He's very intelligent about footy, knows what he wants and is very clear with his instructions."
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http://m.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport...-1226546299851
by: Josh Massoud From: The Daily Telegraph January 01, 2013 11:30PM
Roosters half Mitchell Pearce doing sprint in Centennial Park. Picture: Bob Barker Source: The Daily Telegraph
ELEVATED to within sight of the vacant Roosters captaincy, Mitchell Pearce has declared the time has arrived for his young teammates to "step up and start taking control".
New Roosters coach Trent Robinson is yet to announce his skipper for 2013, but has appointed Pearce to a seven-man leadership group that also includes Anthony Minichiello, Aiden Guerra, Jake Friend, Martin Kennedy, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Shaun Kenny-Dowall.
While Pearce expects veteran fullback Minichiello to be made captain, he wants 2013 to be recalled as a coming of age for the club's next generation.
"We've had a leadership group in the past, but there hasn't been as much focus on it as this year," Pearce said. "We've lost a lot of older players over the years, and losing Braith (Anasta) has probably left a hole in terms of an experienced head.
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"Mini is still there but that's about it. So it's time for us younger guys to step up and start taking control. It's not as if we haven't got plenty of experience. Most of us have played over 100 games.
"It's about taking responsibility and going about your business with a focus.
"It's a real skill and it's about time we started to take responsibility. I'm not saying it's easy. It's a challenge, but it's a good challenge. It helps you develop and we'll end up with a good culture."
During their past two years of underachievement, the Roosters have stumbled through disciplinary slip-ups and wild form fluctuations on the paddock.
Preparing for his seventh season at just 23 years of age, Pearce is no stranger to public scrutiny after enduring the spotlight for much of 2012.
Asked what the team had learned from last year, the Origin half replied: "There's no doubt the biggest thing is that everyone needs to be 100 per cent committed to footy.
"If we can get that right and everyone on the same page, we'll give it a shot.
"Last year, we weren't consistent the way we thought about footy. We showed we could do it, but not on a regular basis. That's a mental thing. We need to work on that and be better than the rest."Roosters players have quickly embraced Robinson's new style.
"I wouldn't say our training has been harder than last year, but probably smarter," Pearce said. "We're training to execute our game plan at all stages, so doing a lot of things under fatigue.
"Having a new coach, we're going through a few new plays and new calls.
"Robbo is a very composed bloke and he seems to know the players very well.
"He's very intelligent about footy, knows what he wants and is very clear with his instructions."
*
http://m.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport...-1226546299851
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