Going to war with the NRL over the Pearce punishment

[Tennessee Tornado]

Was it Pearce who brought the game into disrepute or the official broadcasters - Channel 9 and News Limited who chose to purchase the video and publish it for all to see?

[2 weeks]

All of them

[player 1]

Was it Pearce who brought the game into disrepute or the official broadcasters - Channel 9 and News Limited who chose to purchase the video and publish it for all to see?

Good post.

[Kingbilly]

I fear that if this becomes a battle between the Roosters and the NRL, then there can only be 1 overall winner in the long term ... and that will not be us.
Even if we are victorious with this Pearce saga, then our cards will be marked for a very, very long time.
We are already experiencing a perceived bias against the refs over the past decade of seasons, so I hate to think if this is magnified ten-fold!
I have faith in the Rooster's Management but I hope they really know what they are doing and whether Pearce is worth all this drama???

The thing is that the NRL are a bunch of amateur monkeys compared to Nick and friends. Unfortunately or fortunately all you have to do is convince the media, the NRL are just puppets

[The Axe]

Was it Pearce who brought the game into disrepute or the official broadcasters - Channel 9 and News Limited who chose to purchase the video and publish it for all to see?

I'd like the your "OR" replaced with AND. Both sets of parties guilty in this matter

[Half time]

Pearce is right about the "trust" issues.

Will be interesting to see what happens in the longer term with his team mates that he has let down so badly

[Darkone]

I would accept a option to return sometime after Cordner & JWH return

round 12 - 15 is plausible......

That would give good options for Robbo with enough time to tinker

Pearce at Wyong is a good situation while our junior burgers develop

[Tommy Smith]

**** the NRL.

Aren't the offices empty at the moment anyway? Every **** and his dog has quit the place.

Sutton and Burgess didn't get a week I believe. Or one at most. And that was for arrest for drunk and disorderly behaviour.

And yet now they want to give Pearce 12 weeks for getting pissed in a private residence but committing no crimes? Yeah that all equates.

Incompetent clowns.

[ism22]

I can understand how the club is frustrated with the NRL having seen numerous incidents over recent years just swept under the carpet.

players being arrested and charged yet coping fines or 1 game off season suspensions.

I'm a little torn here because I think Pearce needs to sit on the sidelines for a while so he can truly learn how important football is to him.

on the other hand screw the NRL, punishment can't be determined by public outrage it must be decided on facts of individual cases.

if we are pushing for a 4-6 week ban and the NRL want 12, would be alright to meet in the middle somewhere around 6 weeks.

Exactly....
1) Dragons fans are saying he should nver play again but are happy for Packer to take to the field after almost killing a guy.
2) Souffs fans are saying he should never play again, but they are happy to give Auva'a and Inglis (two wife beaters) starting spots.
3) Penrith fans... let a convicted standover man who we booted get a run (with no official punishment from the NRL).
4) Manly... are letting Hoppa mentor their kids.
5) Anything north of Tweed Heads goes completely unreported. JT 'the Bulldogs said I was too much trouble because they got sick of me doing coke and breaching club rules... haaaaaaahahahahaahahaj now I can do whatever I like in NQ... aint that right Robert Lui? Nothing wrong with giving the Mrs a little love tap'. While JT's at it... no suspension or fine for saying 'it's a conspiracy... the NRL rig every game because they want 2 teams from NSW in the grand final'. If Pearce suggested there was a conspiracy when we lost to Brisbane last year, he woulda had his butt kicked!!!

Not gonna go through every player/incident but IMO this has blown out of proportion. Pearce has thrown the whole game into disrepute? BS. All he has done is make a fool out of himself (without breaking any laws).

Supposedly he has a record and people are sick of him... WHAT record? Oh he got sent home by the cops due to some utterly BS lockout laws that everybody hates. Suddenly breaching those rules and copping a fine is completely unacceptable and demonstrates a long record of bad behaviour? No... all it demonstrates is that we live in a nanny state after dark and with social media there's opportunistic twerps who will do anything to make a dollar.

If people think Pearce is a cr@p player then who cares? He's OUR player, not their player. If you prefer Soward and friends then that's not our problem. You think he's not Origin standard. WHO CARES? Origin is a farce that's rigged for QLD to win... feel lucky that your best half and captain aren't having to get taken away from season games during Origin. Our loss, not yours... somebody has to cop the abuse on the chin - he's taking a bullet for every other NSW half every time he takes to the field.

- Do I think Pearce's behaviour was appropriate? No.
- Do I want Nikorima to get a shot? Yes - he's a gun.
- Do I think Pearce is a scumbag who deserves to have his career shut down after this? No.

I think the media have intentionally lost perspective in search of a 'bad guy'. Pearce stuffed up. However, lets just get over it ay...

[novice chook]

I know I'm in the minority, but I don't have a problem with an 8-12 week suspension for Mitch. Not because the NRL are advocating for it, but I reckon it's what the bloke needs to focus on getting his off-field act together, without any distractions.

Anyone who thinks that a 28 stay in an isolated rehab facility where there is no booze and no temptation means that Mitch has conquered his issue with alcohol has no clue. The real tests will come now that he is back in Sydney and in circulation with his mates and the pubs and bottle shops are within reach.

I reckon if Pearce is only given 4-6 weeks before he plays again, I'm worried it will only be a matter of time before he 'slips up' again.

Remember, if Mitch doesn't gift the lowlife who filmed him with the opportunity to shame him, then there is no bringing the game into disrepute by anyone. It all starts with Mitch.

[Arties Pie]

I reckon if Pearce is only given 4-6 weeks before he plays again, I'm worried it will only be a matter of time before he 'slips up' again.

More of a when than an if, he can't help himself as he's his own worst enemy.

[Game Fowl]

Was it Pearce who brought the game into disrepute or the official broadcasters - Channel 9 and News Limited who chose to purchase the video and publish it for all to see?

Fair Question.

What came first the chicken or the egg, one doesn't exist without the other.

[eddie]

Exactly....
1) Dragons fans are saying he should nver play again but are happy for Packer to take to the field after almost killing a guy.
2) Souffs fans are saying he should never play again, but they are happy to give Auva'a and Inglis (two wife beaters) starting spots.
3) Penrith fans... let a convicted standover man who we booted get a run (with no official punishment from the NRL).
4) Manly... are letting Hoppa mentor their kids.
5) Anything north of Tweed Heads goes completely unreported. ...

6) If Cam Smith set fire to a nursing home, the nrl would suspend the contractors that built the joint.

[redwhiteblue]

Exactly....
1) Dragons fans are saying he should nver play again but are happy for Packer to take to the field after almost killing a guy.
2) Souffs fans are saying he should never play again, but they are happy to give Auva'a and Inglis (two wife beaters) starting spots.
3) Penrith fans... let a convicted standover man who we booted get a run (with no official punishment from the NRL).
4) Manly... are letting Hoppa mentor their kids.
5) Anything north of Tweed Heads goes completely unreported. JT 'the Bulldogs said I was too much trouble because they got sick of me doing coke and breaching club rules... haaaaaaahahahahaahahaj now I can do whatever I like in NQ... aint that right Robert Lui? Nothing wrong with giving the Mrs a little love tap'. While JT's at it... no suspension or fine for saying 'it's a conspiracy... the NRL rig every game because they want 2 teams from NSW in the grand final'. If Pearce suggested there was a conspiracy when we lost to Brisbane last year, he woulda had his butt kicked!!!

Not gonna go through every player/incident but IMO this has blown out of proportion. Pearce has thrown the whole game into disrepute? BS. All he has done is make a fool out of himself (without breaking any laws).

Supposedly he has a record and people are sick of him... WHAT record? Oh he got sent home by the cops due to some utterly BS lockout laws that everybody hates. Suddenly breaching those rules and copping a fine is completely unacceptable and demonstrates a long record of bad behaviour? No... all it demonstrates is that we live in a nanny state after dark and with social media there's opportunistic twerps who will do anything to make a dollar.

If people think Pearce is a cr@p player then who cares? He's OUR player, not their player. If you prefer Soward and friends then that's not our problem. You think he's not Origin standard. WHO CARES? Origin is a farce that's rigged for QLD to win... feel lucky that your best half and captain aren't having to get taken away from season games during Origin. Our loss, not yours... somebody has to cop the abuse on the chin - he's taking a bullet for every other NSW half every time he takes to the field.

- Do I think Pearce's behaviour was appropriate? No.
- Do I want Nikorima to get a shot? Yes - he's a gun.
- Do I think Pearce is a scumbag who deserves to have his career shut down after this? No.

I think the media have intentionally lost perspective in search of a 'bad guy'. Pearce stuffed up. However, lets just get over it ay...

Thank you for articulating what I'm too battle weary to type myself. I mentioned number 1 to someone just today in fact.

I'd be interested to hear what some on here got up to on Australia Day and how they chose to conduct themselves. Sipping water, playing croquet and eating cucumber sandwiches no doubt.

..Some of the worst crimes I've seen and heard of around the city where I work (Martin Place) have been committed by stockbrokers, lawyers and bankers all out on drunken rages. That awful Bar 333 next door to our office has been bulldozed thank goodness and a bouncer from there was put into a coma by a wealthy Englishman from the north shore. I'm sick to death of footballers being scapegoats for society's problems in general. Yet Mitchell has now become a poster boy for the ugly Australian. Some of you won't be happy until you are reading his obituary. He's been the whipping boy of the NRL community for so long now, whilst the wife beaters get to run around and collect welfare premierships. I'd rather err on the side of caution and have some compassion. But I guess that makes me a weirdo.

[Ruzza]

Id be happy to have him back for the origin period, as long as he can train and sort his life out.