Mitchell Pearce has voiced his support of former teammate Latrell Mitchell during what has been another challenging period for the South Sydney Rabbitohs' star.
Latrell is currently serving a three-match suspension after forcefully elbowing Shaun Johnson's jaw, adding to the turbulence of a season already marked by controversy both on and off the field.
The Rabbitohs, currently struggling at the bottom of the ladder, have also been fending away rumours of an imminent coaching change, with Jason Demetriou reportedly facing dismissal after the upcoming game against Cronulla, regardless of the result.
As the highest-paid player at the club, and arguably the most outspoken and divisive, Latrell has been the subject of harsh criticism from the left, right and centre.
Having experienced his own share of public scrutiny, Pearce has empathised with Latrell's situation. Having played alongside him at the Roosters, he expressed hope for Latrell's return to form.
"Watching from the outside, I want nothing but the best for Latrell because everyone is giving a lot of opinions on him," Pearce stated, via News Corp.
"We've all been in form slumps in our careers, but Latrell has an abundance of big moments and great achievements. It's a bit of a low point for the club at the moment, but he just needs to find his zone."
Pearce has had his own NRL rollercoaster ride with high expectations and media pressure, recalling his early days at the Roosters and the challenges of living up to his father's legacy, as well as facing intense criticism over NSW's long-standing losses to Queensland.
He knows better than anyone how a turnaround in form can quickly shift public and media perception from negative to positive.
“All the big games, especially Origin, bring plenty of criticism, but I got used to it and I knew it would come if we lost,” Pearce added.
“It's never nice to be criticised, and every player and coach would say the same, but the opposite of criticism is positivity, and that all comes down to winning."
Now enjoying a quieter life back in Sydney and a new career in media, Pearce advised focusing on the essentials and using criticism as a catalyst for growth.
“You've just got to focus on what works for you and then get into that happy place and try to turn criticism into positivity.”