The Mitchell Pearce contract standoff with Newcastle will come to a head in the next 24 hours with the halfback preparing to front Knights coach Adam O’Brien and formally request a release.
Fox Sports has learned Pearce has officially received a three-year contract offer from UK Super League grand finalists Catalans overnight and will soon travel from Sydney to Newcastle to meet club powerbrokers.
The Knights coaching staff are still maintaining they intend to hold firm on releasing Pearce until such time as they can find a suitable replacement but the reality is it’s unlikely the 309-game halfback will be at Newcastle next year.
Pearce has refrained from fronting Knights coach O’Brien until officially receiving the Catalans offer but the issue is now set to come to a head.
The Newcastle board are of a different view to the coaching staff and it’s understood they see no point in holding a player who doesn’t want to be at the club.
The catch will be the Knights are likely to tell Pearce there will need to be some sort of transfer fee paid to the Knights in order to secure the release.
Knights coach O’Brien famously quit the Sydney Roosters as an assistant coach after only nine months despite signing a three-year contract.
Roosters heavyweights were fuming at the time because O’Brien had supposedly told head coach Trent Robinson he would remain an assistant at the Moore Park club for at least two years.
O’Brien had a get out clause in his Roosters contract if an NRL head coaching position became available and opted to exercise it.
It went down like a lead balloon with the Roosters hierarchy.
The Catalans offer for Pearce is a three-year $1.5 million deal which will take him through until the age of 35.
Knights coach O’Brien told News Corp on Tuesday he has had no contact from Pearce since the Knights NRL commitments finished in week one of the finals.
Pearce spent time away with friends in Queensland before recently returning to Sydney where he has resumed training.
In four seasons with the Knights Pearce has played 71 NRL matches, winning 36, losing 34 and playing in one draw.
There is no question at his best Pearce has made Newcastle a far superior side although his most recent appearance, in week one of the finals against Parramatta, was average.
The other interesting element is as much as the Knights are yet to formally hear from Pearce the champion playmaker has spoken to several high-profile Newcastle old boys about the opportunity of playing in the south of France.
So it’s hard to see how the Knights have been completely blindsided by the development.
In all likelihood Pearce will be granted the release but not without some form of compensation being paid to Newcastle.
Story first published on Fox Sports Australia