"He felt he let himself down, he let his friends and family down and he probably let the game down at the time because he knows he's better than that. He's shown what he is truly like since then." Pearce snr described his son's infamous Australia Day outing as the catalyst for a life-changing shift in attitude - one that has led the Roosters halfback on a journey of self discovery. As has been rehashed over the duration of the Origin series, this is no longer the Mitchell Pearce of old. He's a man with strong spiritual connections who relies on the power of the mind to overcome the mental demons that have plagued him throughout his career. "He'd explored bits and pieces of that over recent years," Pearce snr said of his son's new approach to football. "But the catalyst for his real growth was the drama last year. Out of adversity comes a lot of growth for some people. He's one that has responded really, really well and that's something I'm proud of - the way he has responded to what happened.

"He's come a long way as a person and a footballer but his journey is not finished yet and he says that. But at the same time, the mindfulness practices he's engaged in is all about enjoying the here and now and not getting worried about down the track. That was a problem for him as well. That can be a distraction, but he's very much immersed in the moment now, which is why we're seeing such good performances from him. Pearce, who is a member of the ARL Commission, has made a conscious effort in recent years to ensure his son has an identity of his own, which is why he rarely takes the opportunity to talk about him publicly. "It's about his career not me," he said. "From my point of view he gets enough focus any way so he doesn't need the extra focus. If I wasn't at this function I probably wouldn't have been talking to anybody either. He hasn't said anything to me. That's just my view." Holler for Marshall The Wests Tigers were last month in secret negotiations with Benji Marshall about the prospect of luring the veteran five-eighth back home to finish his career.

In what would have been a significant boost to the brand after what has been a dismal year for the joint venture, the Tigers were close to signing Marshall last month on a deal for the rest of the season. Close to rejoining Tigers: Benji Marshall. Credit:Getty Images The deal hinged on the future of Tuimoala Lolohea, who at the time was weighing up other options after being granted permission from the Warriors to look elsewhere. It is understood Marshall, who is on a deal worth around $100,000 a year at the Broncos, was keen to return to the club he led to its only premiership back in 2005 - even if it was as a stop-gap solution ahead of Josh Reynolds' arrival in 2018. Marshall spoke to Wayne Bennett about the prospect of a release - well aware of the off-field opportunities a return to the Tigers would have as the curtain closes on his illustrious career.

However it all fell over when Lolohea agreed to join the Tigers, giving the club the replacement they were looking for to fill the void left by Mitchell Moses' defection to Parramatta. ​As a club we reached out to Benji at a period when we were looking for someone to fill a role for the rest of the season," Tigers chief executive Justin Pascoe said. "His name is synonymous with the Wests Tigers and would have been great for our brand as well as for our team. First and foremost we are always making decisions that we believe will put the club first. "Acquiring Tui Lolohea meant that a position for Benji was not available and both Benji and the club were comfortable with that. He is a quality person and player and he will provide great service for the Broncos." Long road for Bryce

In a time when it is common for clubs to put their needs ahead of the welfare of their players, Penrith have shown there's more to rugby league than just winning games of football. Bryce Cartwright has had his well-documented off-field issues this season, which has been compounded by a number of injuries throughout what has been a turbulent season at the foot of the mountains. He suffered a knee injury a month ago, with Penrith later announcing he would be missing for 12 weeks. The reality is, Cartwright could have been back playing this weekend, but the Panthers gave him the option of undergoing surgery to get his knee and ongoing ankle issues in order. The club was also aware of the emotional toll of a personal issue earlier in the year, which is why they were happy for him to take the long road back at a time in the season when most clubs would rush their best players back to ensure they play finals football. Tiger blood