Knights prop Herman Ese'ese could be on his way out of the club, according to a report by The Newcastle Herald.
It is understood that Ese'ese responded to his round one axing by "making discrete inquiries" about a potential move back to his native New Zealand.
The 24-year old lost his father to cancer last year and Knighs coach Nathan Brown is reportedly unsure if Ese'ese's head is in the right space.
There is no word at this stage if Newcastle would consider releasing Ese'ese or even confirmation if he wants out of the club.
Brown has an abundance of options in the middle forwards, with the Saifiti brothers and Pasami Saulo all expected to return from injury soon.