IN-form centre Peter Mata'utia appears in danger of being squeezed out of his home-town club for the second time after Newcastle's decision to bolster their backline with big-name reinforcements.

The Knights recently recruited former Roosters premiership winner Shaun Kenny-Dowall and are reported to be on the verge of signing the powerful Tautau Moga from Brisbane.

Kenny-Dowall and Moga are shaping as Newcastle's first-choice centre pairing for 2018, raising the question of whether the off-contract eldest Mata'utia brother will be required.

Mata'utia underlined his claims for retention with a courageous two-try showing in Sunday's 20-18 loss to Canterbury after suffering a nasty head wound early in the game.