Pearce the hero as Roosters romp in

SYDNEY Tries: Goals: NEWCASTLE Tries: Goals: Crowd: Umpires: MALIGNED Rooster Mitchell Pearce has breathed fresh life into his team’s NRL season with an inspired return from his drunken Australia Day antics.

Playing his first match of the year following an eightmatch suspension, Pearce guided the Roosters to a crushing — and much-needed — 38-0 victory against Newcastle at Allianz Stadium last night.

Pearce received a standing ovation after having a hand or foot in three of his side’s six tries and scoring one himself to help drag the Roosters off the bottom of the ladder, above the hapless Knights, with just their second win from nine starts in 2016.

Minor premiers for the past three years, the Roosters still have a mountain to climb to make the finals but have certainly given their fans reason for hope.

Inspirational prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves also made a successful comeback after missing the first nine games with a knee injury.

The return of the pair has left coach Trent Robinson at last with virtually a fullstrength line-up after fellow hardman Boyd Cordner’s return from a pectoral tear last week.

Pearce, though, has undoubtedly been the Roosters’ missing link and wasted no time proving so in a dominant display that would have also impressed NSW State of Origin coach Laurie Daley.

NSW’s incumbent No. 6 totally outplayed the Blues’ present No. 7 Trent Hodkinson, who was powerless to prevent the Knights from being kept scoreless.