Newcastle have shut the door on any chance of Kai Pearce-Paul leaving early, despite Wests Tigers making a play to fast-track his 2025 arrival before the June 30 deadline.
As reported by Newscorp, the Knights held internal discussions on Monday and decided they would not part ways with the English international this season.
The Tigers had hoped to bring Pearce-Paul into their squad immediately after Newcastle initiated talks regarding young hooker Tallyn Da Silva.
While Da Silva remains contracted until the end of 2025, the Tigers have given him permission to explore options with rival clubs.
The interest in Da Silva prompted reciprocal discussions about Pearce-Paul, with Tigers officials keen to add punch to Benji Marshall's roster for the back half of the year.
Shane Richardson confirmed the Tigers were open to the early switch, but Newcastle have all but closed the book on that scenario as they look to sneak their way into an unexpected finals berth under Adam O'Brien.
The back-rower has recently been in strong form and is viewed as critical to the Knights' depth if they are a hope of salvaging their season.
Da Silva's future at Concord appears limited if club captain Api Koroisau re-signs beyond 2025.
Talks between the Tigers and Koroisau are underway, but in the meantime it appears Da Silva will remain a valuable bargaining chip and Pearce-Paul will stay put in the Hunter.
