Mitchell Pearce’s shot to finally lay his awful Origin record to rest

From his first game, Mitchell Pearce’s State of Origin career was born in a defeat The time has come to finally put that right, writes PAUL CRAWLEY.

• The history and stats at stake in Origin III
• NRL acts to avoid another Slater medal stuff-up

Mitchell Pearce was up against it the moment he set foot in State of Origin.

He had just turned 19 when thrown into the 2008 decider against what was to become the greatest Queensland team ever assembled, already on track to its third consecutive series victory.

With just a tick over 13 minutes remaining and the scores locked at 10-all, Johnathan Thurston gave his rookie rival his first taste of what it was like to own an Origin moment.

Pearce was still a teenager when thrown into the Origin fire. Image: Sam Mooy

Pearce’s right centre Joel Monaghan was at marker after the fourth tackle when Thurston seized his chance.

Rushing from open to short side, Thurston charged at the line with the ball in two hands and a menacing look in his eyes.

Pearce had a tiring prop in Brett White defending on his inside and Greg Inglis coming straight at him when Thurston let rip with his trademark show-and-go.

Everyone will tell you, don’t fall for Thurston’s dummy.

But in one mesmerising blink, Thurston was through. White was unable to shut the gate and Pearce was left clutching at air.

From the start he was up against some of the game’s greatest.

All Thurston then had to do was draw fullback Kurt Gidley and moments later a flying Billy Slater was celebrating the series-clinching try.

In the years that followed, Pearce conceded that he entered the game’s toughest arena too early.

In truth, it was never his choice. He just had to deal with it the best he could.

Yet his best was never good enough for his many critics as he became the most maligned halfback in NSW Origin history.

So began an Origin career that summed up NSW’s decade of pain.

While the now 30-year-old didn’t get to choose how his Origin journey started, on Wednesday on the same ground at ANZ Stadium he will have the chance to write his own closing chapter.

Pearce has already had two false starts this series, having to tell coach Brad Fittler he was unavailable because of injury.

However, when he returned a missed call from Fittler last Wednesday after Nathan Cleary was ruled out with an ankle injury, Pearce didn’t hesitate to declare he was ready to go in the decider.

With that, arguably Origin’s greatest redemption story took flight.

Laurie Daley always kept faith in his halfback.

‘DEMONS’ WITHIN

Laurie Daley is no headline hunter but when questioned on radio last Thursday about Pearce’s Origin call-up, the former NSW coach gave an honest assessment.

Daley was always one of Pearce’s greatest supporters and one of the first things he did as Blues coach was back Pearce to be his No.7.

But while Daley didn’t doubt Fittler had made the right call to recall Pearce, he conceded the choice was not without danger.

Nothing sums up Pearce and Origin like this. Image: Gregg Porteous

“I think the only time he will feel under pressure is if the game is in the balance with 10 to eight minutes to go, it is tight, or NSW are behind,” Daley said.

“I think he then may have some demons and maybe think, ‘Well, I’m not the player here that can get the job done’. Subconsciously, he may think that.

“Or he might be thinking, ‘This is my moment, this is my time, this is to shut everyone up’.”

This will be Pearce’s 19th Origin appearance. He has won just five times, never played in a series victory and lost all seven of his game-three encounters.

In 1411 minutes of Origin footy, he has just three tries, six try assists, two linebreaks and three forced dropouts.

He is also yet to win a man-of-the-match award.

Too often Pearce was undone by his Queensland rivals. Image: AAP Image/Paul Miller

Peter Sterling had four best-on-ground awards in 13 appearances, as did Andrew Johns in 16 games, while Ricky Stuart won three in 14 matches.

For a long-serving halfback, you just can’t smother the reality.

And while you can’t single him out for all the losses, it is also indisputable that Pearce has had forgettable periods in some of those games.

Probably the most damning was in game two, 2017, when Andrew Johns said NSW played the “dumbest ever” half of football after not targeting the injured Thurston, who could hardly lift his arm.

There is room for sympathy — but not for excuses. Image: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

NSW led 16-6 at halftime but lost 18-16 when a late try to Dane Gagai was followed by Thurston nailing a pressure kick to again break a deadlock.

Back then Johns was the Roosters’ halves coach and working closely with Pearce, but it didn’t stop him grilling Pearce in a Channel 9 interview after the match.

It was probably the most cutting criticism Pearce ever copped.

And after losing another decider, it appeared Pearce would never be back after NSW won last year’s series with Cleary and James Maloney in the halves.

However, injuries and circumstances have thrown the old band back together.

Johns is now the Blues’ halves coach who is trusted with making sure this doesn’t end in another NSW nightmare.

Pearce and Maloney have the history to make it work. Image: Matt King/Getty Images

WHO’S THE ‘BOSS’?

The biggest unknown is how Pearce and Maloney will combine, especially given Maloney’s dominance over Cleary in game two.

Newcastle coach Nathan Brown recently said it would be a waste of time playing Pearce if he didn’t have control of the team.

Backing up Brown’s call is the fact that during Pearce’s run of five consecutive man-of-the-match awards this year he averaged more than 70 possessions, the most of his career.

Roosters coach Trent Robinson also said after the Knights’ thumping 38-12 win in round 11 that he had noticed a change in Pearce that had started with the Knights’ 28-14 defeat of Parramatta in round seven.

His rebirth at Newcastle propelled Pearce back into Origin. Image: AAP Image/Darren Pateman

“They were out of form and the first game that they won he was not going to let them lose,” Robinson said.

“He just bossed the whole game. He just said, ‘I am going to win this game’.

“I don’t mean to talk about another team but I have been watching them progress and that is what has happened.”

Will Fittler allow Pearce to be the boss on Wednesday night?

Fox Sports Stats shows Maloney had 50 possessions in Perth compared to Cleary’s 15 and Wade Graham’s 22 after Graham’s move to five-eighth in the second half.

And if Maloney is again in charge, how will it effect Pearce?

One thing you can guarantee is that Pearce will give it his absolute best.

He is also no longer up against the likes of Thurston, Darren Lockyer and Cooper Cronk.

Pearce has been described as a very good halfback but not in that champion category.

But Queensland’s halves will be Daly Cherry-Evans and Corey Norman. With all due respect, they are also in the very good bracket.

So this is finally a fair fight.

Pearce is not the player he was at 19, he is not even the player he was in 2017.

And for all the criticism of his past Origin performances, his form this year has earned him a deserved shot at redemption.

Will it be the night Pearce finally silences his critics?

You would need a tough heart to be a NSW fan and not cheering for Pearce.