UPDATE: Mitchell Pearce has finally got his wish, with the Knights agreeing to release the star halfback to take up a deal with Catalans in France.
Newcastle released a statement this morning confirming the news, with the release effective immediately.
“The Knights would like to thank Mitchell for his significant contribution since joining the club in 2017, celebrating many highlights including 300 NRL games and back-to-back finals series,” the club said in the statement.
“The club wishes Mitchell all the very best for his future.”
Pearce officially requested a release from the final year of his deal just over a fortnight ago, after the 32-year-old was offered a deal to replace his former NSW halves partner James Maloney in the south of France.
With the veteran off the club’s pay roll, speculation as to how the Knights plan to replace a player of Pearce’s calibre will crank into overdrive days after club CEO Phil Gardner trashed reports linking Newcastle with a play for contracted Wests Tigers halfback Luke Brooks.
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The Knights currently have Jake Clifford, Adam Clune, Phoenix Crossland, Kurt Mann and young gun Simi Sasagi vying for positions in the halves for the 2022 season but without Pearce in the mix the club would be taking a punt on an inexperienced combination if they don’t go to market.
Speaking to the Newcastle Herald last week, Gardner said the Knights would only consider talking to Brooks if his contract status with the Tigers changed.
“If he was released, or if the Tigers gave him permission to explore other options, he could talk to whoever he wants,” Gardner said.
“But that hasn’t happened, so the rules are quite clear. We’re not allowed to talk to Luke Brooks, and we haven’t.”
The Knights have also recently been linked with Cowboys five-eighth Scott Drinkwater, who could potentially renew a promising combination with Clifford if he was lured to Newcastle.
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Clifford left the Cowboys to take up a deal with the Knights mid-season in 2021 and Drinkwater also faces an uncertain future in North Queensland after Chad Townsend and Tom Dearden were brought in on long-term deals.
A News Corp report claimed the Cowboys might be open to letting Drinkwater walk if they can secure a swap deal for a forward, potentially putting the likes of David Klemmer on the table.
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