An emotion-charged Mitchell Pearce broke down in tears in front of teammates and Knights staff earlier this week as he apologised for the texting drama that has cost him the Newcastle captaincy.
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Pearce fronted the Knights playing group on Tuesday, immediately after volunteering to fall on his sword and stand down as skipper at a meeting with senior Knights officials Phil Gardner and Danny Buderus and coach Adam O'Brien.
The club issued a statement yesterday to officially confirm Pearce would no longer be captain, a position he has held at the Knights since he joined the club in 2018.
The statement followed revelations in the Newcastle Herald that he was set to step down with veteran playmaker Blake Green already identified as the player to fill the captaincy void as part of a new-look leadership group that will include the likes of rising stars Jayden Brailey and Daniel Saifiti.
It's understood O'Brien has been working on a new leadership model for some time, even before the controversy involving Pearce erupted. He is expected to finalise his leadership team over the next couple of weeks with the club to go into camp in Tamworth in a fortnight.
O'Brien and Pearce will both front the media on Thursday for the first time since the Knights halfback was embroiled in a texting scandal involving a Knights staff member that led to his wedding to fiance Kristin Scott being called off just days before the event late last month.
Pearce will read a prepared statement prior to his first training session of the New Year to formally step down as skipper before O'Brien answers questions on the impact the drama has had on the playing group.
Despite criticism in some circles of the way the club has handled the matter and the secrecy surrounding it, officials say they won't be answering questions of a personal nature relating to the controversy.
"The protection of the people involved and their privacy has been utmost in our minds throughout this and that is not about to change," one Knights source said.
"There won't be any further comment on the matter after this."
Pearce 31, who is just three games shy of playing 300 top grade games in the NRL, has captained the Knights in all of his 59 games for the club since linking with Newcastle from the Sydney Roosters.
His win percentage as skipper is just over 47 percent
He is the highest paid player in the Knights' history with the four-year deal he signed with the club back in November 2017 worth around $1 million a season.
It's understood his latest controversy, which he is said to be highly remorseful and sorry for, will have little effect on Pearce's chances of securing a new deal with his current contract set to expire at the end of this season.
He is currently in negotiations with the club for an extension that would see him remain in Newcastle for at least the 2022 season.
Despite suggestions Pearce was given little choice than to resign as captain, the club is adamant the final decision rested with the halfback.
According to the club statement, his decision "followed a lengthy review of current issues, last season's performance and reflection upon the added pressure the captaincy brings to both his on field performance and personal life. The club is fully supportive of his decision."
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IN THE NEWS:
Barry Toohey
Barry Toohey is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald. He covers the Newcastle Knights and hosts the Toohey's News Podcast.
Barry Toohey is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald. He covers the Newcastle Knights and hosts the Toohey's News Podcast.
