Knights swing the axe as legend predicts epic fall
Coach Adam O'Brien has made a brutal call on the Knights halves situation as Paul Gallen gives a dire verdict on the side's season.
Moderated by Tomas Kauer 
NRL legend Paul Gallen has delivered his verdict on the Newcastle Knights, declaring they won't play finals football this season.
It comes as the club awaits to see results on Greg Marzhew's wrist injury with 9news and The Sydney Morning Herald reporter Michael Chammas revealing on Nine's 100% Footy that the winger could be sidelined for four weeks.
The Knights have also reportedly axed Jackson Hastings to NSW Cup in favour of Jack Cogger.
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Newcastle have started the season with two losses after an expectation they could challenge for the top four following their finals run in 2023.
Canberra scored a dominant 28-12 win in round one at Newcastle, while the Knights blew a 12-0 lead at half-time to lose 21-20 against the Cowboys in round two.
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Gallen revealed he'd never expected the Knights to make the top eight.
"Last year they won 10 straight to make the semi finals," he said on 100% Footy.
"Their winger (Dom Young) probably won three or four games on his own last year, he's obviously left the club. Kalyn Ponga was on fire.
"A little bit of expectation around them this year I think will effect them also so I don't think the Knights will make the top eight this year, I think they'll fall out."
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The fixture between the Knights and Cowboys notably included 27 errors with Newcastle coughing up 12 of those in the loss.
A Ponga knock on off a regulation kick return was a notable error and brought disappointment from Knights legend Andrew Johns on Nine's The Sunday Footy Show.
"Just those 50/50 balls, you've got to get them ... concentration, Kalyn dropping that ball on that kick down field, it's concentration, that attention to detail," he said.
Brad Fittler added there would've been considerable frustration from coach Adam O'Brien as the Knights looked near certainties to win after a strong start.
"Imagine being their coach, you would've just thrown yourself out of the box," he said.
"It would've been awful to watch ... they just capitulated."
