Paul Gallen has questioned whether Mitchell Pearce's move to strugglers Newcastle will spell the end of his NSW State of Origin career.
Pearce on Thursday turned down offers from Cronulla and Manly to ink a four-year NRL deal with the three-time wooden spooners Newcastle on a deal worth a reported $4 million.
The Sharks skipper said he was not bitter about the ex-Sydney Roosters playmaker's decision not to come to the Shire and said he understood the 28-year-old's desire to take up a long-term, big money deal.
However he said he worried that the move to the Knights could affect his former Blues teammate's game and lead to him being dropped by NSW for the 2018 series.
"At the Roosters, Mitchell shared a dressing-room with internationals and State of Origin players," Gallen wrote in his Sportingnews.com column.
"That won't be the case at the Knights and I fear Mitch's rep career may be a casualty of having to do it all at club level.
"The money and long-term deal at Newcastle was impossible to knock back at this stage of his career.
"I just hope his footy doesn't suffer as a result."
The No.7 is already under pressure after NSW lost the seemingly unlosable series this year and new Blues coach Brad Fittler has touted Nathan Cleary and Mitchell Moses as possible debutants next year.
Pearce's signing is seen as a big coup for the Knights, and their hopes of returning to the finals, however Gallen questioned whether they could be a top eight force in the near future.
"In my opinion, Newcastle are two or three years away from being a consistent top eight side," he said.
"As for winning competitions, well, I just can't see that happening for a long, long time.
"At Cronulla, Pearcey would have be joining a club that has enjoyed recent premiership success and are regular finalists.
"He'd be surrounded by rep players and premiership winners. At Newcastle it will be on his shoulders to return the club to its former glory."
