Playing Origin for NSW again remains among his goals and a niggling groin injury was the real reason he ruled himself out of Blues selection for Origin I – that’s Mitchell Pearce’s story and he’s sticking to it.
Pearce has been in career-best form for the Newcastle Knights this season and emerged as a genuine contender to reclaim the No.7 jumper for the Blues in Wednesday’s series opener.
But the 30-year-old informed the NSW hierarchy he was unavailable on Sunday, citing a niggling groin issue, a matter of hours before the squad for Game 1 was announced.
Whether or not coach Brad Fittler was going to hand the much-maligned veteran of 18 Origin appearances a shock recall remains a point of conjecture.
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Former Newcastle five-eighth Matthew Johns caused a stir mid-week when he claimed sources told him Pearce told NSW selectors, ‘I don’t need it’ (selection).
Johns added to the conspiracy theory by saying: “I don’t believe for a second that he’s got a groin strain.”
But speaking with News Limited journalist Phil Rothfield, Pearce said playing for both his state and country remains ‘a goal of mine’.
The Knights skipper added he would not have been able to train until Friday and was not willing to risk re-entering the Origin cauldron underdone.
History will show incumbent Nathan Cleary got the nod despite being woefully out of form for Penrith and will get first crack at half-back against the Maroons at Suncorp Stadium.
