Veteran halfback Mitchell Pearce has confirmed he will hang up the boots and retire at the end of the 2023 season.
The 34-year-old, who is currently playing for the Catalans Dragons, made the call after leading the side to an 18-10 win over Wakefield Trinity this weekend where he is currently playing in the halves alongside Sam Tomkins.
It means Pearce has just two regular season games left in his career, although will add finals to that with Catalans currently sitting in second spot on the English Super League ladder.
The halfback, who is most well-known for his time at the Sydney Roosters in the NRL, played 309 games in the Australian competition before making the switch around the world to the south of France at the start of the 2022 season.
Despite dragging Catalans to fourth at the end of last year's season, the French club were eliminated in the first week of finals, and Pearce, who took to Instagram to make the announcement, said he still had a job to do with the Dragons before hanging up the boots.
"Ive decided that this season will be last in rugby league," Pearce wrote.
"What a journey it's been. I finish the game knowing I have given every bit of my heart and soul for nearly 18 years.
"I've had some amazing times and leave the game with friends I know I'll have for the rest of my life.
"I still have a job to do with Catalan Dragons and I'm all in to go after that trophy and make history for French Rugby League."
Pearce had been linked with a surprise return to Australia earlier this season for the 2024 season to finish his career where it all began with the Sydney Roosters.
While it was unlikely the tri-colours had him slotting into their starting number seven jumper, it was believed the plan was to use him off the bench in a utility role.
That, however, won't be happening, with Pearce hanging up the boots at the end of the year.
It's believed the Roosters will look at an off-field role for Pearce, with the halfback set to move back to Australia following the completion of the Super League season.
He had originally been convinced to head to the Super League by good friend James Maloney, who also played for the Dragons.
Pearce, at that stage, had struggled to turn the Newcastle Knights into a premiership force in the NRL where he played 71 games between 2018 and 2021 following his exit from the Roosters after a decade at the club.
In addition to his 341 top flight games across the two competitions, Pearce also played 19 State of Origins for New South Wales, three games for NSW City in the now extinct City-Country fixture, two for the Prime Minster's XIII, and another for the NRL All Stars.
