Newcastle's depth is in for an early-season test with second-rower Kai Pearce-Paul facing a two-match ban and Leo Thompson expected to miss time with a knee injury.

Pearce-Paul was sin-binned in the second half of Newcastle's 26-12 win over the Dolphins on Thursday night, after his shoulder collected the head of former teammate Daniel Saifiti.

The incident initially went unnoticed on the field, before it was picked up by the bunker.

The match review committee on Friday deemed the hit as a shoulder charge and not a high tackle, given Pearce-Paul's lack of attempt to wrap his arm in the contact.

The more serious charge means he will miss games against Gold Coast and Canterbury with an early guilty plea.

Around the same time in Thursday's win, Thompson was substituted from the field with a knee issue and is expected to miss at least the round-three clash with the Titans.

Early reports held that Canterbury's star recruit for 2026 would miss a month of football but the Knights will formulate his recovery timeline after receiving the results of scans.

Newcastle have the bye in round four, with Thompson's new club the Bulldogs awaiting the weekend after that.

A corked thigh sidelined Jacob Saifiti during the win over the Dolphins but the Knights prop is expected to be available for the trip to the Gold Coast next week.

Newly re-signed local product Brodie Jones is likely to come into the 17 for next week's game after being listed as replacement player for the Dolphins game.

Uncapped prop Tyrone Thompson is an option to replace his twin brother Leo after the former Super Rugby Pacific forward joined the Knights on a development deal this year.