Newcastle captain Trent Hodkinson dumped for the Knights clash with Cowboys in Townsville

NEWCASTLE coach Nathan Brown has defended his shock axing of Newcastle star Trent Hodkinson for Saturday night’s clash against North Queensland.

Hodkinson has paid for his form slump. (Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)

STRUGGLING Newcastle captain Trent Hodkinson’s future at the club is under a cloud after he was sensationally dumped from the Knights side to take on the Cowboys on Saturday night.

Newcastle’s highest paid player did not make the trip up to Townsville with the rest of the squad on Thursday.

Knights coach Nathan Brown said Hodkinson’s form was down, and added his axing would provide a chance to test a new halves combination.

“He’s a touch down on confidence and we’ve got some other options we want to have a look at,” Brown told Sky Sports Radio on Friday morning.

“We’ve got a lot of big recruitment decisions we’re in the midst to trying to make.”

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It is understood Hodkinson was pulled aside by Brown early in the week after a disappointing performance in the loss to the Sydney Roosters and told he would not be playing against the Cowboys.

A couple of poor defensive reads cost the Knights two tries and his overall involvement was down.

Highly respected and liked at the club, The Daily Telegraph understands he copped the decision on the chin. He did not train with the NRL squad on Wednesday with utility Jaelen Feeney, who did make the Townsville trip, likely to be brought into the final 17 in his place.

Hodkinson has paid for his form slump. (Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)

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While coach Brown hasn’t been afraid to make the tough decisions in relation to players since he joined the Knights, sacking his captain from the side just eight weeks into the season will be viewed as one of his biggest calls.

But outside of his goalkicking, the former NSW halfback, who helped guide the Blues to their last Origin series win in 2014, has struggled this season with a chronic knee injury that he has carried since his days at the Bulldogs.

The club nursed the 28-year-old through pre-season training in a bid to give him every chance of returning to his best in 2017 after he battled for most of last season.

But he appears to have lost even more speed and has noticeably left most of the on-field kicking responsibilities to teenage five-eighth Brock Lamb.

Where his axing leaves Hodkinson’s future at the club is up in the air.

He is earning more than $600,000 this season and still has a year to go on his contract with the cap increase certain to see his earnings rise even further in 2018.

“The problem is there is no suggestion his knee is going to get any better which is the frustrating part for him,” a club source said.

Lamb is expected to fill the halfback duties against the Cowboys and is also likely to be the new goal-kicker.