The Parramatta Eels have reportedly sent a sensational SOS call to retired halfback Mitchell Pearce.
The Eels are currently facing an injury headache in the halves, with Mitchell Moses to miss the next eight weeks after hurting his foot.
That has left the club scrambling, with Blaize Talagi moving into the five-eighth role, and usual number six Dylan Brown moving into the number seven.
The only other realistic option at the club to slot into the halves is utility Daejarn Asi, leaving the Eels to sweat over the performance of their makeshift halves over the coming weeks as the club look to rebound into the finals after a horror 2023 campaign.
Speaking on Triple M Radio, journalist James Hooper said the Eels have called Pearce directly ahead of their Easter Monday clash with the Wests Tigers.
"One of the big stories this week was the injuries to some of the star players in the game," Hooper said on Triple M's Saturday Scrum show.
"The big one for the Parramatta Eels was losing their halfback Mitchell Moses to a busted foot and he is going to be missing for three months.
"Off the back of that, people at the Eels have directly rang Mitchell Pearce and just posed the question - 'look, we have a little bit of an issue here in the playmaking department at the moment, we know you played your last game in the Super League grand final for Catalans, but would you consider and would you be available?'
"I think if he had of said yes, there is a damn good chance he would be wearing a Parramatta Eels jersey."
Former Canterbury Bulldogs and St George Illawarra Dragons prop turned media personality James Graham rebuffed the suggestion, suggesting Pearce hasn't played a game in six months, and that there would be a process to follow around drug testing and other things that may have prevented his return anytime in the next month even if he had agreed to the move to link up with Parramatta.
Hooper however confirmed Pearce was contacted, but has told the Eels that he has retired and will not consider a return.
Pearce confirmed to Triple M Radio on Monday that he wouldn't consider a return.
"I got a phone call last week from someone around Parramatta reaching out to see if I was keen to play. There was a story out today saying I'm the one who reached out," Pearce said.
"The last thing I'm doing is knocking on someone's door to play footy. I'm happily retired."
Pearce played 350 top flight games throughout a career which spanned between 2007 and 2023 across the Sydney Roosters, Newcastle Knights and Catalans Dragons. 309 of those games came in the NRL, while he also played 19 State of Origin matches for New South Wales.
It had been initially reported during the 2023 season that Pearce could have continued into 2024, linking up for a final season with the Roosters where he played the first 232 games of his career, but no move ever materialised.
