NRL 2021: Mitchell Pearce 300th game, Wayne Pearce pays tribute to his son

Wayne Pearce admits he initially tried to steer his son away from rugby league but Mitchell has proved he was made to play the game as he prepares to play his 300th NRL match.

Mitchell Pearce and his father Wayne. Picture: Brett Costello

When his classmates were watching cartoons Mitchell Pearce was studying first grade matches. When Andrew Johns gifted him a pair of game-worn Origin socks he tried to convince his parents they didn’t need to be washed.

These are just some of the stories proud dad Wayne tells before his son’s 300th game on Sunday.

Following in the footsteps of his famous father was never going to be easy. So much so Wayne – a decorated Balmain Tiger and distinguished representative player – tried to steer him away from rugby league initially.

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Mitchell Pearec celebrates a NSW Origin win with his father, Wayne Pearce. Picture: Brett Costello

“I wanted him to try other sports because I didn’t want him to go straight into rugby league,” said Pearce, now an ARLC commissioner. “He started playing soccer, tennis and did Little Athletes. Every year though he kept saying he wanted to play league.

“When he got to 11, I said ‘OK you’re right, now you can play’. He started with the North Ryde Hawks and was a pretty handy player straight away.

“He went to primary school with Liam and Kieran Foran and they were always playing in the park after school. Homework would be how well you could kick the footy.”

While Pearce and the Foran’s dominated the schoolyard it was an emerging Wallaby who Pearce said set the Balmain Junior Rugby League competition alight with.

“He and Kurtley Beale ran riot one season,” Pearce said. “Mitchell was playing up a year and Kurtley was playing outside him at centre. It was a lot of fun.”

Mitchell Pearce, in 2005, won the Australian Schoolboys Championships with NSW Combined Catholic Colleges.

Mitchell was always surrounded by dressing rooms. He was a ball-boy when his dad coached at the Tigers and shadowed his father during his stint as NSW coach.

“He was always a Joey (Johns) fan,” Pearce said. “When Joey gave him a pair of socks he tried to not let us wash them.

“He would sit down with me and watch tape. I would be rewinding play and he started to ask questions and pick up on bits and pieces. Since about the age of 13 when he started high school, he wanted to be a rugby league player

Andrew Johns worked with Mitchell Pearce in State of Origin.

“He was a handy player and played up an age group. He made Australian Schoolboys at 16s and captained them at 17 and then started playing for the Roosters.”

In his debut, he opposed Jonathan Thurston who would eventually be Pearce’s long-term tormentor. The Roosters were thumped 43-6 against the Cowboys with the home team celebrating each try with a firework display – by the seventh try they had run out of the explosives.

Mitchell Pearce played 239 NRL games for the Roosters.

Mitchell Pearce will play his 300th NRL game on Sunday when the Knights play Wests Tigers. Picture: Ashley Feder/Getty Images

Pearce will play his 300th match against the Tigers. He could have easily been wearing the No. 7 jersey for the away side on Sunday had the Tigers had their way.

“The Tigers were one of four clubs that we spoke to when he came back from the Australian School boys tour,” Pearce said.

“He felt it was going a lot of pressure at the club and I agreed with him.

“That was the thing which he felt. Ricky Stuart was coach of the Roosters at the time and Mitchell was really impressed by what Ricky had to say and the connection they had there.”

Originally published as NRL 2021: Mitchell Pearce 300th game, Wayne Pearce pays tribute to his son