Mitchell Pearce set to walk out on Knights after $2m Super League offer: Reports

Former NSW Origin halfback Mitchell Pearce is set to make a massive call to finish out his career with one last massive payday.

Former NSW Origin halfback Mitchell Pearce has reportedly been offered a three-year $2 million deal to finish his career in the south of France.

The NRL star has played 309 NRL games, having spent 11 years with the Sydney Roosters before he was moved along and linked with the Newcastle Knights.

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A veteran of 19 State of Origin matches for NSW and a member of the 2013 Roosters premiership winning team, Pearce has achieved it all in his NRL career.

But the 32-year-old Pearce has had his fair share of off-field issues as well, including when he was at the centre of a texting scandal with a Knights staffer before last season.

It was a scandal that cost Pearce the Knights captaincy and he ultimately accepted a $250,000 pay cut to a reported $650,000 for the 2022 season.

However, news on Friday morning was that Pearce could replace former NSW and Roosters teammate James Maloney at the Super League’s Catalans Dragons.

Maloney retired after the Dragons’ Super League Grand Final loss and the team based in the south of France have circled Pearce as the replacement.

Pearce is potentially set to finish his career in France. Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images

Speaking on SEN Breakfast on Friday, veteran rugby league commentator Andrew Voss said that it was a big deal for the player but there was a big sticking point.

“The Catalans Dragons are set to launch a three-year offer for Newcastle halfback Mitchell Pearce,” Voss said.

“The deal is said to be worth $2 million, and the Knights are aware of the offer but won’t release Pearce unless they can find a replacement halfback.

“Well, that won’t be easy to find.”

The Daily Telegraph reported the number was more around the $1.8m range with $600,000 a season and that Pearce was ready to ask for a formal release to take up the contract.

Having seen Connor Watson move to the Roosters, the Knights have long been reportedly considering moving star fullback Kalyn Ponga into the halves, but that was expected to eventuate in 2023.

But as Pearce is in the twilight of his career and unlikely to land another NRL contract after the 2022 season, it could be an offer too good to refuse for the star half.

Pearce won an Origin series. Photo: AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts

And a premiership. Photo: AAP Image/Paul Miller

Speaking last month to the Wide World of Sports, rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns said that it would be a great option to finish his career.

“Catalans offering him a two-three year deal … south of France, anonymous, weekends off, fly into wherever – it takes you half an hour to an hour to fly all over Europe,” Johns said at the time.

“Less eyes on him, faster more open game.

“I think if he decides to go, I think Catalans would be a great fit for him.”

Johns was at odds with brother Matthew, who said that the Knights couldn’t afford for him to leave.

“They can’t allow Mitchell Pearce to leave, there’s been all sorts of talk that he will go here or there,” Matthew Johns told SEN.

“But the bottom line is, he’s under contract at the Newcastle Knights, and they’ve got to keep him.”

Pearce played just 12 games in 2021 after a pectoral injury and reportedly believes that his body is not up to the rigours of the NRL week-to-week any more.

And Pearce has one less reason to stay — he recently sold a Neutral Bay apartment he had bought for $795,000 in 2009 for $1.276m.

Originally published as Mitchell Pearce set to walk out on Knights after $2m Super League offer: Reports