Newcastle’s Mitchell Pearce shadow games ‘would be their downfall’

The Knights have been accused of failing to tell the whole story about the rumours surrounding Mitchell Pearce and Luke Brooks.

Mitchell Pearce and Luke Brooks. Photo: Getty.

The Knights have been accused of failing to tell the whole story surrounding the futures of Mitchell Pearce and Luke Brooks.

A series of reports in recent days claim the Newcastle playmaker is preparing to receive a formal contract offer from Super League club Catalans.

The offer will reportedly be a three-year deal worth up to $2 million to finish his career in the south of France.

Multiple reports claim the Knights will not block the potential move, despite the former NSW State of Origin star remaining under contract for the 2022 season.

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Knights coach Adam O’Brien has also declared in public nobody at the Knights — including himself — has “heard a single sentence” from Pearce or his manager, according to The Daily Telegraph.

O’Brien has also said he is continuing to plan for the 2022 season with Pearce remaining at the club.

The former Storm assistant coach has now been called out for underplaying the situation by Channel 7’s senior rugby league reporter Michelle Bishop.

Mitchell Pearce is yet to address the rumours. Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images.

She said it would be O’Brien’s “downfall” if he continues to keep Pearce in his plans.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for the Knights, they’re a lovely bunch, but surely someone’s picked up the phone,” Bishop told SEN’s Morning’s with Vossy.

“Surely, someone’s said, ‘Hey Mitch, we’re hearing all these reports, what’s going on’. I do believe this is a little bit more advanced than what the Knights are making out.

“O’Brien is saying he’s going to continue to plan for 2022 with Mitchell Pearce. That’ll be his downfall and as I say I think he’s smarter than that. So I think he’s moved on from that.”

Pearce’s future has huge ramifications for the rest of the NRL player market with reports claiming Newcastle is interested in Wests Tigers halfback Luke Brooks as a potential replacement for Pearce.

Luke Brooks has become the symbol of the Tigers’ recent failures. Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images.

The Bulldogs are also reported to have registered interest in Brooks, despite the much-maligned playmaker remaining under contract with the Tigers.

There has been speculation surrounding Brooks’ future all year following the club’s signing of Jackson Hastings and another miserable 2021 campaign which again saw them fail to make the finals.

Tigers director of football Tim Sheens emphatically shut down rumours about Brooks’ future on Sunday, stating the 26-year-old “will not be leaving the club”.

The Sydney Morning Herald, however, reports a game of musical chairs is playing out behind the scenes with the Bulldogs considering letting playmaker Kyle Flanagan leave the club with two seasons remaining on his contract — if the club is able to sign Brooks.

The Tigers are also reported to have interested in signing Flanagan — should Brooks walk out the door.

The Knights have few options available to fill Pearce’s shoes should Brooks not end up at the club with the club facing the difficult choice of either slotting Adam Clune into the halves alongside Jake Clifford or pushing Kalyn Ponga to five-eighth.

Originally published as Newcastle’s Mitchell Pearce shadow games ‘would be their downfall’