Pearce primed for battle with Thurston

GOLD COAST, April 8 AAP – Mitchell Pearce is excited by the chance to challenge – and get one over – Queensland’s Test star Johnathan Thurston when his Sydney Roosters meet North Queensland in Darwin on Saturday.

Pearce enhanced his claims to retain the NSW State of Origin halfback role with a commanding performance in the Roosters’ 18-12 victory over the Gold Coast Titans on his 23rd birthday on Saturday night.

He clearly outpointed former Kangaroos halfback Scott Prince as the Roosters notched their fourth win from six matches in a scrappy match at Skilled Park.

Pearce will not get a better test of his Origin credentials than against Thurston, who has started to find some of his best form in the relatively unfamiliar position of five-eighth.

“He’s one of the greats,” Pearce said about Thurston. “It’s always good to play those sort of players to obviously, one, learn off them and two, try to get one over them.

“Right across the board they’re a great side led by one of the greatest ever in Thurston so it’s going to be a big challenge for us.

“His move to five-eighth was a little bit of an adjustment but he showed last week what a class player he is.

“I really think he can become one of the greats in the five-eighth position.

“He’s right up there as one of the best I’ve played against. You never underestimate the Cowboys when Johnathan Thurston is playing.”

Broncos playmaker Peter Wallace has been talked up as a major threat to unseating Pearce as NSW halfback but the Roosters No.7 is quietly confident Blues coach Ricky Stuart will stick with him.

“The last couple of weeks I’ve been happy with the way I’ve been playing,” Pearce told AAP.

“I’d love to be in Origin. I played there last year and I don’t think I’m playing bad, but it’s still a few weeks away.

“To be honest, I genuinely haven’t thought about it too much.

“I’m just concentrating on our (Roosters) team and getting our combinations right.

“I still don’t think we’ve played to our potential or stuck to our plan for 80 minutes. We’re a young side so I think that’s going to keep improving as the year goes on.

“The best thing is that we’ve been getting our wins up and as the halfback of the team I just have to keep being consistent in leading us around.”

Roosters coach Brian Smith didn’t want to weigh into the debate about the NSW Origin halves but he said after the win over the Titans he was pleased with Pearce’s general play.

“He set our team up for a victory quite well,” Smith said.

Publisher: AAPNewswire

09 Apr 9:39 AM