Knights prop Pasami Saulo has agreed to join the Canberra Raiders and will play his last game for Newcastle against Cronulla on Sunday.
The 24-year-old will move to the nation's capital next season after striking a two-year deal with the Raiders.
Saulo recently met with Raiders coach Ricky Stuart, the Canberra Times reported Friday, and a deal is understood to have been finalised.
He will join fellow local junior Tex Hoy and much-loved winger Edrick Lee on the list of departing players who will finish up at the Knights against the Sharks at McDonald Jones Stadium.
Anthony Milford, Sauaso Sue and long-serving forward Mitch Barnett are also leaving but weren't named for the side's last game.
Saulo, a Maitland Pickers junior, has had limited opportunities in first grade since debuting in 2018, playing only a handful of games each year until this season.
He suffered a horrific leg injury last year - against the Raiders in Wagga Wagga - but has bounced back to make 10 of his 26 career appearances this season.
However with the Knights well stocked in the forwards - the club has signed Jack Hetherington and Adam Elliott, in addition to contracted props David Klemmer and the Saifiti brothers - Saulo may have found it hard to crack first grade in 2023 even if he was retained.
The Maori All Stars representative will come off the bench on Sunday as the Knights look to end a disappointing season on some sort of a positive note.
Newcastle will be playing for pride - they can't finish last - but Daniel Saifiti insisted this week the side remained focused and no player had clocked off early.
"It could be really easy to just pack it up given the season's over and start looking to next year, but we've got a lot to play for," Saifiti said.
"It's the last game at home, Old Boys' Day and the fans haven't had much to cheer about at home at all this year. If we get a win, against a good team, it will give us something good to hold on to going into the off-season."
Newcastle head into the game a depleted outfit with the likes of skipper Kalyn Ponga, Jake Clifford, Kurt Mann, Lachlan Fitzgibbon and Leo Thompson all still sidelined with injuries.
There are also multiple players named to play that are carrying niggles and in some doubt, including Jacob Saifiti and Jayden Brailey.
Hooker Chris Randall is on the bench in a likely indication of Brailey's fitness and looks set to play his first NRL game since early July. The 22-man match squad, which also includes 23-year-old back-rower Ben Talty - who is yet to play NRL - will be cut to 19 players on Saturday.
Cronulla, who beat Newcastle 18-0 in round four, named a full-strength side and their big-name players look set to feature as they aim to secure second position.
That may slightly change if Penrith, who have rested 13 players, upset third-placed North Queensland on Saturday night. As it stands, the Cowboys (+242) have a better differential than the Sharks (+187) and could finish second if they win and Newcastle beats Cronulla.
