Club Career
Tommy Bishop also arrived at Cronulla in 1969 and after the departure of Ken Kearney as coach in 1970, Bishop took over as captain and coach. The first half of Pierce's top grade career was played under the tutelage and ball-playing wisdom of Bishop.
Pierce was in the Cronulla side who made it to the Grand Final in 1973 to be beaten 10-7 by Manly in a game still regarded as one of the most brutal Grand Finals ever fought out.
Pierce became Cronulla captain in 1975, a role he would hold till his retirement in 1980.
In Cronulla's successful 1978 finals campaign Pierce was sent-off in the major semi-final win over Wests and given a four match suspension. Along with Dane Sorenson who had been suspended in the final premiership round, Pierce missed the 11-all Grand Final draw against Manly and the midweek replay three days later. Cronulla missed their presence and as a result the club again failed to taste premiership success.
Pierce led the Sharks to victory in the final of the midweek Amco Cup in 1979.
He retired at the end of the 1980 season to take on the full-time coaching responsibility of the club.
In total Pierce made 210 first grade appearances between 1969 and 1980 for the Sharks. This tally currently stands in sixth place on the Sharks all time list for most appearances.
In 2005 Pierce was made an immortal of the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
Read more about this topic: Greg Pierce
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