Little moments stand out for Pearce
HE’S had to wait all week to get the go-ahead, but it appears Mitchell Pearce will overcome injury and run out for his 250th NRL appearance.
The Newcastle halfback received a corked quadricep muscle during the loss to Wests Tigers last week, an injury that forced him from the field just minutes into the second half.
It was unclear whether the injury would heal in time, with Pearce in pain for much of the week, but he trained yesterday to be ready to run out for his milestone game.
His roller-coaster of a career began in 2007 with the Roosters, where he played 238 games, including his side’s victory in the 2013 grand final.
He has played for NSW City and the PM’s XIII and been NSW’s halfback 18 times, but has had some lows, the most notable his eight-week suspension for an off-field incident during the pre-season of 2016.
It’s the smaller moments, however, that stand out for him.
“Sometimes even games you win when your backs are against the wall or when there’s been pressure on that week and your team has to get up. All those little things you remember, I reckon, and it’s not always the big games,” Pearce told the Our Team, Our Town podcast.
“The big games are special and they’re moments and euphoric feeling you’ll never get again, well you hope you get again.
“It’s just those little week-toweek games when you and your teammates know what’s on the line and you’re in the sheds after the game and you’ve done it for each other and have that respect for each other, that’s the best I reckon.”
The 11th-placed Knights are in Auckland to face the Warriors tonight.