Pearce has played last Knights game: NRL veteran to swap Newcastle for France next year

Mitchell Pearce has played his last game for the Newcastle Knights, according to sources close to the 32-year-old, with a lucrative multi-year Catalans Dragons deal just waiting for the halfback’s signature.

Pearce has told those close to him that he will be taking up a three-year deal in the south of France. The move will see him spearhead a title charge for the Dragons in the England-centric Super League.

On top of a much-needed change of scenery for the controversial NRL playmaker, who has had his fair share of dramas and controversies during his time with the Sydney Roosters and Newcastle Knights, the three-year deal is expected to fire Pearce’s pay packet into the stratosphere.

The Courier Mail is reporting the Dragons have tabled a $1.7m offer.

Catalans are chasing the Knights halfback to replace his former Blues partner, James Maloney, who has been in France since early 2020 and played 30 games, guiding them to a semi-final in 2020 and a grand final last month.

The rich move has hit a pretty major hitch though; according to Knights coach Adam O’Brien, Mitchell Pearce’s camp has yet to tell the Hunter club he will be leaving Newcastle a year early.

Trouble is now brewing in Newcastle, with O’Brien telling media early in the week that, “hand over heart,” he had heard nothing from Pearce about an impending move, and had only — up to that stage — read about it in the media.

“All I can say is I nor anyone at the club have heard from Mitchell or his management,” O’Brien said.

“He is currently scheduled to start training on the 24th of November and until I’m told otherwise, I have started planning for 2022 with Mitch as our halfback,” he continued, before adding he has “nothing to be disappointed about yet” because he hasn’t heard any news.

The Knights helmsman remained tight-lipped over further questions: “I will cross that bridge when I come to it but I only live two streets away from him and I haven’t heard anything.”

Pearce’s impending Knights exit puts a huge question mark right over the top of O’Brien’s lineup, and who will be the leading light for the squad playing in 2022 and beyond.

The obvious choice is Jake Clifford, who joined midway through last season and players strongly once he arrived in the Hunter. Kalyn Ponga, currently playing in the number one jersey, could also swap to the halves to partner the former Cowboy playmaker, creating an exciting combo in the 6 and 7, but leaving the 1 potentially short.

Adam Clune was another recent acquisition for the Knights, joining from the Dragons last month. Phoenix Crossland is also waiting in the wings for the Knights, but the local starlet has struggled to leave a lasting impression in the short bursts he’s been given in the NRL over the last two years.

Connor Watson, who could also have played in the halves, recently left to rejoin the Roosters.

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