Mitchell Pearce wasn’t the first sportsman to have a problem with alcohol, and he won’t be the last, but there is another factor to consider as the dust settles on NRL’s latest off-field controversy.
But don’t think that Mitchell Pearce will never be seen on an NRL field again. History suggests the exact opposite, the NRL governing bodies have a leniency when it comes to their superstars off-field antics.
Pearce says he will undergo counselling after admitting to having a problem with alcohol.
The sex simulation Pearce performed on a young woman’s dog on Australia Day will not be forgotten for a very long time, and nor should it be.
Pearce, like countless athletes before him, are role models to young children the world over. Or at least they should be.
Whichever way you look at it, Pearce’s behaviour is unacceptable.
Pearce has rightly been stood down by the Sydney Roosters. But in terms of a larger punishment from the NRL, it is hard to see anything more than a slap on the wrist and a first strike being handed down.
What makes the last few days all the more intolerable for many is the fact that Pearce, game in and game out, proves he is one of the best halfbacks going in the NRL.
A 2013 Premiership winner with the Roosters, Pearce has scored 54 tries totalling to 219 points. Representing the NSW Blues in Origin, Pearce was part of the historic series win in 2014, the Blues first in a decade.
Clearly upset, Pearce struggled to hold back tears during Friday’s press conference.
“I am embarrassed and take full responsibility for my actions,” Pearce said.
But one can’t help but wonder how long Pearce has had a problem. Would the world know any different had that video not been leaked on Australia Day? Everyone deserves a second chance, and if history is anything to go by, the NRL will allow Pearce back onto the field in no time.
Pearce will lose his role as Roosters co-captain, but that is about it.
Fellow NRL stars and friends of Pearce have been quiet since the video footage emerged. Two fellow Roosters players were at the party on Australia Day and are currently being interviewed by the club.
But like all the other off-field scandals that rugby league has seen over the years, this will be quickly forgotten, at least by the NRL officials themselves.
