Mitchell Pearce banned 8 weeks and fined $125,000

[Pass the Ball]

It gives Nikorima are fair crack at the 7 jersey for next year

[stringaz]

Nrl giving it to the roosters again, oh they are so scared, little bitches

[TheBigFella]

So Pearce, Cordner & JWH are all set to miss the first 8 weeks or so... Nice & fresh for the rest of the year

[Kingsgrove-Loiner]

Fark the NRL, I'm over their double standards bullshit.

[Lydon]

It gives Nikorima are fair crack at the 7 jersey for next year

Robbo's love for Pearce is eerily similar to Stuart's love for Finch back in 03,04.
While Robbo is coach Pearce will be our 7,the only hope is the 750k he is reportedly on gets reduced considerably for his next contract.

[The Axe]

I think it is wrong that the NRL uses our Club to set a benchmark. The club should have set the penalty.

Let's see how long the NRL maintains consistencies across all clubs. Won't be long before someone else transgresses to test them

[Arties Pie]

Still think it should have been a club matter and I hope the club takes a stand and somehow contests this ruling if possible. $125,000.00 jeezuz what a over reaction.

[Yak]

The punishment was purely based on the public scrunity that Pearce came under as a result of the incident. Not one bit of consideration went towards the seriousness or malice of the actual incident. And nobody in the game cops more scrunity than Mitchell Pearce so we will never see the likes of this type of punishment again. Anyone who thinks some consistency by the NRL for future (likely worse) incidents will follow from now is completely delusional.

[Half time]

I actually don't have any problem with the $125k fine ($50k of it being suspended). I prefer that the NRL come down very hard on these clown players but I also hope they are consistent going forward with heavy fines. I would however prefer that they put that fined amount back into junior clubs or something like that but I am guessing that is unlikely with the way the NRL is.

[Bowzy]

This just sets the standard then I guess, will be interesting to see what's handed to the next NRL player the messes up.

[The Axe]

The punishment was purely based on the public scrunity that Pearce came under as a result of the incident. Not one bit of consideration went towards the seriousness or malice of the actual incident. And nobody in the game cops more scrunity than Mitchell Pearce so we will never see the likes of this type of punishment again. Anyone who thinks some consistency by the NRL for future (likely worse) incidents will follow from now is completely delusional.

The NRL will go back into their box now. They've proved their salaries and can now go back to doing nothing

I think the lesson for all Rooster players is never give the NRL reason to act against you

[Pass the Ball]

So who handed down the punishment?
Easts or the NRL?
Where does the $75k fine go?

[Tommy Smith]

The punishment was purely based on the public scrunity that Pearce came under as a result of the incident. Not one bit of consideration went towards the seriousness or malice of the actual incident. And nobody in the game cops more scrunity than Mitchell Pearce so we will never see the likes of this type of punishment again. Anyone who thinks some consistency by the NRL for future (likely worse) incidents will follow from now is completely delusional.

Well said. The media's vicious campaign against Pearce has seen to this punishment.

Does this mean that anyone who gets drunk and acts foolishly will get 8 weeks and 125k? Of course not. Hell, people charged by the police won't even get 1/4 of Mitchell's punishment.

They're the most inconsistent and incompetent sporting body in the world. Can you imagine if that Snake Oil Salesman Todd Greenberg becomes CEO? Help us all if so.

[Steakface]

John Sutton & Luke Burgess start a violent brawl in Arizona and get arrested:
FINE: $20,000 (the club was fined, not the players)
BAN: 0 GAMES

Mitchell Pearce goes overboard on the drink, make a fool of himself.
FINE: $125,0000
BAN: 8 GAMES


The NRL has lost what little respect I had left for it.

An incompetent group of sentiment driven fools that make knee jerk decisions based solely on the ramblings of Rothfield, Massoud and the rest of the corrupt 'infotainment' tabloid media

[Pass the Ball]

I think you will find the Arizona charges were dropped.

Pearce's incident definitely brought the game into disrepute more than a bit of push and shove outside a nightclub in the States.

You can argue that is because of the media scrutiny / beat-up, but the Pearce incident damaged the NRL brand more IMO...