THE Newcastle Knights are facing their fourth assault scandal in 12 months after rookie forward Joseph Tapine was charged over an alleged incident that left a man with a broken jaw.

Tapine, 20, has been charged with assault occasioning grievous bodily harm after an incident at the Prince of Wales Hotel in Merewether on September 21, the day after he played for Newcastle's under 20s in a sudden-death final they lost.

Newcastle City police Inspector Jennifer Lawton said Tapine had been involved in an altercation with another 20-year-old male inside the hotel about 9.30pm before allegedly striking the man to the head.

A spokesman for the Prince of Wales said the men had been in the hotel but that the alleged incident did not occur on the premises.

The alleged victim was taken to John Hunter Hospital suffering a broken jaw, police said. He was later discharged and reported the incident to police.

Police launched an investigation and charged Tapine on October 12. He is scheduled to appear in Newcastle Local Court on December 9.

Contacted on Wednesday night by the Newcastle Herald for comment, Knights chief executive Matt Gidley replied with a text message, which read: "The club is aware of an incident in September involving graduating NYC player Joseph Tapine. The NRL Integrity Unit is aware of the matter. The club is in no position to make any further comment while the investigation continues."

The Knights posted the same statement on their website, after the Herald's inquiries.

The Tapine revelations come almost 12 months to the day that it was revealed on November 27 last year that new Knights recruit Russell Packer had been interviewed by police over an assault in Sydney.

Packer was jailed in January for bashing a stranger unconscious and stomping on his head.

His sentence was reduced from two years to 12 months on appeal, and he was sacked by the Knights.

Within days of Packer being incarcerated, the Herald revealed that Knights official and former player Ben Rogers was facing two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Rogers was subsequently fined $1000 and placed on a good behaviour bond for a year after he was convicted on April 16. He was stood down from club duties while his position was "reviewed" but then resigned.

Soon after, young forward Zane Tetevano was terminated by the Knights and had his registration cancelled by the NRL after he pleaded guilty in Belmont Local Court to smashing a taxi windscreen. He was fined $440 but has appealed against that conviction.

After being dismissed by the Knights, Tetevano signed to play out the NSW Cup season with Wyong but subsequently became involved in a second legal case in which he has pleaded not guilty to 11 charges relating to an alleged series of late-night attacks on his former girlfriend and her property.

The charges include allegations of multiple assaults as well as malicious damage and intimidation. Tetevano is due to appear in Newcastle Local Court on Friday.

Tapine is a highly regarded back-row forward who in September was named in the National Youth Cup (under 20s) team of the year.

He made his NRL debut against Penrith at Hunter Stadium on Mother's Day and went on to make seven top-grade appearances for the Knights this year.

The day before the alleged incident, the Wellington-born 20-year-old played in Newcastle's season-ending 23-16 loss to the Warriors at Allianz Stadium in the NYC finals.

Six days after being charged, Tapine played alongside his Newcastle NYC teammates Danny Levi and Chance Peni in the Junior Kiwis' 15-14 victory over the Junior Kangaroos at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland.

Tapine also represented the Junior Kiwis in 2013, his first year at the Knights.

He and recently capped Australian international Sione Mata'utia were recognised at the club's end-of-season presentation by sharing the Kokoda Spirit award.

A Harbour City Eagles junior, Tapine joined the Knights in 2013 after being spotted as a 17-year-old playing in New Zealand's domestic Bartercard Cup competition.

Midway through 2013 he signed a new three-year deal, securing him until the end of 2016.