The in-form Mitchell Pearce isn’t letting the past weigh him down as he steers Newcastle towards the NRL’s top eight.
The Knights No.7 was back in the headlines during the week when NRL CEO Todd Greenberg conceded his 2016 punishment for a lewd video was “overcooked”.
Pearce, who was playing for the Sydney Roosters at the time, was suspended for eight NRL games and fined $125,000 for his drunken Australia Day antics in which he simulated sex with a dog.
Not in the role at the time, Greenberg is now hopeful of establishing a framework to bring consistency to sanctions for off-field indiscretions.
Pearce was hardly fussed by the admission as he orchestrated a 22-10 defeat of Canterbury that gave the Knights (4-5) their third-straight win.
“I didn’t even read it. I’m just looking forward, I don’t have any regrets from the past and I’ve learnt a lot in my life in all different scenarios,” the 30-year-old said.
“(Magic Round in Brisbane) was such a good spectacle, like a big school carnival and it’s nice to come to Suncorp and not get booed.”
Pearce set up a try and won his own kick chase to score in the first half, while diving on a loose ball at the death lead to Kalyn Ponga’s match-sealer in the first of three NRL games at the stadium on Saturday.
The Knights are now one win outside the top eight and a world away from the listless unit that fell 38-14 to Gold Coast late last month.
“I never had any doubt that we would gel together as a team; there was a lot of outside noise but it didn’t worry me or the coach,” he said.
“I’ve always been a competitor, so I tried to simplify my game when I was struggling for a bit of form in those first few rounds.
“Footy comes off the back of competing; as captain it’s my responsibility to set the standard there.”