"I spoke to Browny on Monday and said to him we want you to stay on," Pearce revealed.

It came after Brown had told the playing group in the dressing room immediately following their 46-4 belting by the Tigers at Campbelltown Stadium last Saturday that "you guys need to work out whether you still want me here".

Pearce bristled at reports the players had not responded to the coach because they didn't care, which ultimately prompted Brown's decision to walk away from the job on Tuesday.

"We had a bit of a meeting after the Tigers game and I had the leadership boys at my house on Sunday and we spoke about what was best for the team, the club and for Browny," Pearce said.

"There was a lot of communication going on and the whole playing group was invested in it so for anyone to suggest we didn't care is bullshit. None of us wanted Browny just to pack up and leave and we asked him to hang in there and stick it out.

"But to be honest, it felt like to us that he thought it best for himself and for us and the club that he go now rather than wait.

"At the end of day, we all understand that it's an awkward situation because there is a lot of emotion swirling around and I can totally understand where he was coming from and why he made that decision he made.

"We as a group need to move on from it now. We have a game this weekend against the Titans, it's Old Boys' Day and we owe every single fan out there a big performance and a big win after what we dished up against the Tigers."

Pearce vigorously denied the players had any role in Brown's decision to quit.

Only hours after Brown packed up his desk on Tuesday, the Knights captain was around at the ex-coach's Merewether home for a chat.

"I wanted to catch up with him and see how he was and he was happy to see me," Pearce said. "We've been through a bit together and it's always a tough situation."

RELATED:

Senior forwards Aidan Guerra and Jamie Buhrer also denied being part of any push to force Brown out.

"I can only speak for myself here but I feel like it wasn't the way I wanted the season to end for the side or for Browny. We started the year together as Newcastle Knights, and I felt like we'd ride it out together," Guerra said.

"The situation arose where Browny felt it was right to walk away with the good intentions of the club and you've got to accept that and accept him for who he is. He's that kind of guy, and he's going to do what he thinks is right for the club.

"I thought the best thing for this club was for him to finish the season but for whatever reason, he felt like that wasn't the way and we've got to support him in that. He's supported us through multiple things, and not everyone gets everything right.

"He might have made the right call - we've just got to keep going without him now. We've got to take our lessons from him and try to put them into play against the Titans."

Buhrer denied Brown's exit had split the playing group.

"There's no split, no divide and we are all in this together," Buhrer said. "This weekend, it's our fans who deserve our best performance."