Newcastle's Steve Simpson and Adam MacDougall are the latest NRL veterans to officially pull the plug on their representative careers.

Simpson and MacDougall have had their requests to the Australian Rugby League for exemptions from rep footy approved, joining St George Illawarra captain Ben Hornby.

But a showdown is looming with Gold Coast prop Luke Bailey, who has declared himself unavailable for representative sides this year.

Bailey has not provided the necessary documentation to the ARL and chief executive Geoff Carr said he was therefore in the frame for the Country and NSW State of Origin sides.

"We've had no communication in writing from Luke Bailey," Carr told AAP on Friday.

"Because Luke hasn't applied, he doesn't comply (with the ARL rules)."

Simpson's rep career was unofficially ended when he was ruled out of the Country side last year because he is unable to train for a full week with a chronic knee injury.

The 30-year-old played seven Tests for Australia and 13 Origins for the Blues.

"I need a bit more time to recover these days and with the rep footy you've got to get on the park pretty much every day and get out to training," he told AAP on Friday.

"It's something I've pulled the pin on just to try and look after my body and play as many games for the Knights as I can."

MacDougall, who is currently on the sidelines with a thumb injury, played 11 Tests and 11 Origins but last played rep footy for Country in 2006.

Simpson will line up at lock in Saturday night's clash with North Queensland at EnergyAustralia Stadium, a must-win game for the Knights who have lost four straight since their season-opening victory over Canterbury.

They won't get a better chance to knock off the Cowboys, who lost Test halfback Johnathan Thurston (shoulder), crafty hooker Aaron Payne (ankle) and NSW forward Luke O'Donnell (suspension) out of last week's loss to the Wests Tigers.

The Knights welcome back captain Kurt Gidley for his first NRL game of 2010, named at fullback but a possibility of moving to the halves if halfback Scott Dureau (hip) is ruled out after again missing training on Friday.

"He's a quality player, Kurt, so I think he'll hit the ground running actually, he's been looking fairly good at training," Simpson told AAP.

Willie Mason will make his first appearance in Newcastle since rejecting the club for the Cowboys and Simpson expects the visitors to take the Knights on in the forwards.

"You get back to basic principles of winning a game and what you've got to do first and foremost is go forward so I'm sure they'll be concentrating on that," he said.

"The side they've picked, I expect them to try and come through our middle ... which suits us fine."

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