Brown didn't want to lose him and apparently still doesn't. But we are now hearing the coach may not have a choice. The Knights salary cap position for 2020 is so tight, he has been told something is going to have to give.

The club wants to register a contract for Sharks hooker Jayden Brailey but new rules brought in by the NRL won't allow them to because it will put them over the cap for next season. There is currently also no money in the cap to keep outside backs Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Hymel Hunt unless space is created elsewhere.

Much of what is available will be eaten up by upgrades for the likes of Kalyn Ponga, Jesse Ramien and Daniel Saifiti, whose value has gone up due to him playing Origin.

For the balance of his squad, Brown knows he needs another backrower, which is why he went after Bronco Jaydn Su'a before he signed with South Sydney before June 30. Su'a was apparently keen to come to Newcastle but the Knights couldn't manufacture enough cap space to make it happen.

There has been talk of potentially trying to off-load centre Tautau Moga and Aidan Guerra maybe opting out of the final year of his contract here to finish overseas. There is also the uncertainty of whether another NRL club will take Danny Levi off the Knights hands with Brailey coming. But what happens if all three stay?

What makes Ese'ese vulnerable is the reason Brown doesn't want to have to let him go. He is a quality player who is very sellable. Rival clubs, headed by the Bulldogs, are ready to pounce. The Knights are also well off in the frontrow department.

Right now, unless there is some movement elsewhere within the squad, Ese'ese leaving at the end of the season would appear inevitable.

Depending on your perspective, the Knights are either the most ill-disciplined side in the NRL or they are being unfairly targeted by referees this season.

Going into this weekend's round, the Knights are the most penalised team in the competition.

Prior to last night, they had conceded 124 penalties, a whopping 40 more than the "angels" of the NRL, North Queensland and 29 more than the perennial kings of conceding penalties Sydney Roosters. Coach Nathan Brown made a point of calling out his side's lack of 50-50 calls in recent games after the Warriors loss, claiming they weren't getting "a fair crack of the whip" from referees.

"Our defence has improved so much this season, the referees are looking for reasons why," one Knights insider told us. But there is no doubt discipline is a factor and needs to be fixed.

Kalyn Ponga was never a chance of playing against the Bulldogs last night and will need to get through a full week of training next week pain-free if he is to feature against Sydney Roosters at the SCG next Saturday as he recovers from his calf strain.

The Knights fullback was put through a big session yesterday but understandably, the club is taking absolutely no risks with him.

Hopefully, he is given the all-clear to resume playng. The thought of another match-up between him and Roosters' Origin hero James Tedesco will have fans salivating next week leading into the game.

Local club Central Newcastle have pulled off a huge coup by enticing former Knight Dylan Phythian back to Newcastle next season.

Currently playing with Burleigh Bears in the Queensland Cup, Phythian has signed with the Butcher Boys for 2020 with club president Heath Anderson telling us the talented utility won't be the only big new recruit heading Central's way next season with more signings imminent.

Coach Phil Williams is yet to commit to a new deal but the club has an offer on the table and wants him to remain at the helm to help bring through a host of good local juniors.

Craig Hamilton has been the local voice of the Knights on ABC radio in Newcastle, calling games for close to 15 years.

Before that, he was a sideline eye and was involved in his first NRL grand final back in 1995. But local knowledge and well over two decades of experience apparently doesn't count for much anymore at Aunty.

Hamilton, who still has a fulltime job with the station, has been told this season will be his last in the commentary box with the Knights clash against the Titans on August 31 to be his final call. A replacement caller will travel up from Sydney next season for games. We've been hearing rumours of Hamilton's impending demise for some time and he confirmed it early this week, pointing out it wasn't his decision to go.

"Look, I've had a fantastic ride calling rugby league for the ABC," he told us. "My first grandfinal broadcast was in 1995, which was Terry Lamb's last game, and I've worked on grandfinals, State of Origin series and Test matches since then. I can honestly say I love it as much today as I did when I started. I'd love to keep going and I certainly didn't choose to stop calling. But the ABC has decided to go in a different direction next season and I've got to respect that decision. But let me say this, I don't believe I have called my last game of footy."

ABC radio head of sport Nick Morris told us ABC Grandstand will use its national NRL commentary team to call games in the national NRL competition in 2020. "This move will bring consistency to the calling of the games broadcast on ABC Radio in NSW," he said. "Craig Hamilton will continue to provide his expert knowledge to the coverage of sport throughout Newcastle and the Hunter region as part of our ABC Radio Newcastle team."

Is there a bigger rivalry in local sport than Broadmeadow Magic and Hamilton Olympic in Newcastle Premier League soccer?

We can only imagine then what Olympic officials were thinking when they found out their August 16 Premier Hotel sportsman's lunch special guest Robbie Slater had been booked first by Magic for their July 26 Long Lunch at the Duke of Wellington.