Adam Pearce calls it quits after fourth premiership

The 36-year-old has decided Tumut's dramatic grand final win over Kangaroos will be his last game.

"It was the perfect way to go out after many a year playing," Pearce said.

"I couldn't think of any better way."

Pearce was part of Tumut's 2007 and 2010 premiership success, having spent a season in Queensland when the Blues went back-to-back in 2008.

He then made the move to Queanbeyan Kangaroos before returning home to help reverse the club's fortunes.

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Pearce's return in 2017 coincided with Tumut's resurgence.

He helped them to a preliminary final berth that season, before stepping into the co-coaching role with Dean Bristow the following year.

A second season at the helm finished with premiership success.

However the forward admitted coaching never really sat well with him.

"Those couple of years with me and Deano doing that together was a highlight," Pearce said.

"I had a bit of a hard time coaching but it was very rewarding to get that premiership.

"I liked coaching but there was a lot of other stuff. Letters written into the club about us and the shit job we were doing.

"That was the year we won the premiership.

"It said we should take a leaf out of Gundagai's book, saying we were buying too many players, and we only had three bought players.

"It was really frustrating getting shit like that and having parents whinging at you that their kids weren't getting enough game time ,so I didn't enjoy it."

Instead he's enjoyed taking more of a back seat since then.

And his game certainly flourished again in the back end of his career.

"I much rathered stepping back and playing, taking it a bit easier and just training," Pearce said.

The 36-year-old could be retiring with five premierships under his belt only for a broken arm in the 2013 finals series costing him one in Canberra.

Pearce considered hanging up the boots after last season, the season where his younger brother Jed did, but held on looking for one last premiership.

He's very happy he did.

"I was waiting to see what happened," Pearce said.

"I had thought about it before and never really confirmed it but I'm definitely done now.

"I'm too busy and there's too many other things going on to keep playing footy."

Instead now he's looking to spend more time with my family.

"My oldest daughter wants to start playing a bit of footy, whether it is leaguetag or tackle I'm not sure yet, so I will have my Saturdays filled up now," Pearce said.

While the premierships are one thing to look back on, Pearce feels his time in Canberra played a crucial part in his development.

"Obviously there's a lot of premiership but moving away when I went to Queanbeyan stands out a bit for me," Pearce said.

"It was a big move and I played some pretty good footy.

"I probably played my best footy over there, as I was over there from when I was 24 to 29.

"I learnt a lot playing under 'Goz' (Aaron Gorrell) over there and I think that helped my football when I came back."

Pearce is set to be one of many Tumut players not returning to the club next season.

Co-coach Lachlan Bristow is already playing in France, best and fairest winner Jacob Sturt has moved to Queensland, Robbie Byatt has also retired, Tom Hickson is also set to move away while there are doubts over a couple more.

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