Mitchell Pearce is hurting more than anyone at the winless Sydney Roosters during their dismal start to the NRL season and is doing his best to spark teammates at training.

According to skipper Jake Friend, the suspended halfback has cut a frustrated figure watching from the sidelines as the Roosters have strung together five straight losses while prop Sam Moa said Pearce “tore us to shreds” on the training paddock mid-week.

Pearce, who is banned until round nine, was in the stands at Central Coast Stadium on Sunday when former Roosters fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck broke his ex-teammates’ hearts with a try in golden point for the Warriors in a 32-28 victory.

“It probably hurts him more than a lot of us,” Friend said on Monday.

“He’s verbalised that to us all and we see what he’s doing around training and he’s working hard.

“Come round nine, I’m sure he’ll be ready to go.”

Moa can’t wait for Pearce to get back on the field and make up for lost time following his Australia Day antics.

“It would be tough (to sit on the sidelines), he trained against us a couple of nights ago and absolutely tore us to shreds,” Moa said.

“He’s looking really sharp and he loves his footy and he’s looking really good, not just football-wise, but as a person. He’s looking really good.

“He’ll be hurting that he’s not playing.”