Mitchell Pearce calls for fair punishment

10:56 - 01 March 2016

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Disgraced Sydney Roosters half-back Mitchell Pearce knows he has put his career "in jeopardy" with his antics in January.

Mitchell Pearce is hoping to avoid a lengthy ban after being stripped of the co-captaincy by the Sydney Roosters and suspended from the club's leadership group.

The half-back returned to Sydney on Sunday following a month in a rehabilitation clinic in Thailand after being filmed apparently simulating a sex act with a dog while under the influence of alcohol on January 26.

An NRL integrity unit is yet to announce how long Pearce will be suspended as a result of his actions and the 25-year-old hopes his determination to address his problems will be taken into consideration.

He told Fox Sport's NRL 360: "It's put my career in jeopardy right now.

"I've been honest since I got off the plane. I've taken full ownership for everything I've done. I now accept that I have a problem,

"I've said that publicly and it's something that I've worked really hard on over four weeks. I've got some things that I need to get into my lifestyle that will help me be a better person, basically.

"Right now, I'm under no illusions. The video was humiliating, embarrassing and it brought the game into disrepute.

"And I can't ever take that back but I feel like I'm doing my best to change and, hopefully, the punishment is fair."