Corey Norman the frontrunner to fill Pearce void for Newcastle Knights

Corey Norman is the frontrunner to replace Mitchell Pearce at the Newcastle Knights next season, with the off-contract former Dragon already in early talks with the Hunter club about tying up a surprise NRL lifeline.

Norman, 30, looked all set to head overseas in 2022 after the St George Illawarra Dragons declined to renew his contract, instead placing their hopes in the gaggle of young guns coming through the Red V development system.

The Mitchell Pearce saga in Newcastle may have changed his fortunes, however.

Now, the former Dragons star may be the leading man to replace Pearce in red and blue, and partner Jake Clifford in the halves as Adam O’Brien grooms Kalyn Ponga to succeed the number six jersey in the next few years of his stay in the Hunter.

Norman, who’s had spells with the Eels, Broncos, and Dragons in the NRL over his career, previously commanded an $800k price tag, but would get as little as half that playing for the Knights.

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Channel 7’s Michelle Bishop is reporting that Corey Norman was originally in deep discussions with the Catalans Dragons about heading to France in 2022 for a multi-year deal, but the Super League heavyweights are believed to favour Pearce in that equation.

A move to Newcastle would put Norman up against his old Red V deputy, Adam Clune, again, after the former Dragon made the switch north earlier this offseason.

Norman has played 228 games in the NRL up to this point in his career.

The 30-year-old was widely regarded as one of the most out-of-form players in the competition in the season just past, especially when leading man Ben Hunt was injured midway through St George’s campaign. Coach Anthony Hook retained faith in Norman through a spate of end-of-season defeats, despite multiple youngsters knocking on the door.

The former Eels playmaker has visited Newcastle to scope out just how much interest O’Brien has in his man’s talents, and The Sporting Base can confirm preliminary talks are still ongoing.

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