Grand Finals are won by great halfbacks.
At this stage I don’t think anyone would accuse Mitchell Pearce of being a great halfback. Even in what has been an incredible season by the Sydney Roosters you haven’t seen too many people raving about the form of Mitchell Pearce.
The Sydney Roosters main playmaker is James Maloney. He has been in sensational form this year.
Considering when the Sydney Roosters committed to James Maloney and how far ahead of time they signed him up while he was still at the New Zealand Warriors, Maloney’s signing has been a stroke of genius by the Roosters. He has given the side the class they lacked in the halves. He makes them a really dangerous side with his running and passing game.
Maloney has allowed Pearce to take a back seat. Pearce no longer has to worry about being the cheif playmaker. With those responsibilities off his shoulders the Roosters have prospered. How many halfbacks in the game can you say make their team look better the less they touch the ball?
Mitchell Pearce is a good defensive halfback. People over look that sometimes because of his poor attacking and kicking game. Halfbacks rarely get judged on their defensive ability though.
I said earlier this season that the 2013 State Of Origin series was a defining moment in the career of Mitchell Pearce. That it would be the moment he either stood tall and delivered on all of the hype, or it would be the moment he showed us that he isn’t a great halfback. That he is just the guy wearing the jersey until the next great halfback comes along. Results show that Pearce did not stand up. If anything Pearce showed regression in his game and really, he should never play for New South Wales ever again.
Pearce would need to have an outstanding, man of the match winning performance in the 2013 NRL Grand Final for people to view him as anything other then an average halfback.
