Newcastle’s NRL pre-season woes have continued with former Test prop Willie Mason charged with drink-driving.

Mason was stopped for a random breath test on his way to training on Monday morning and was taken to Newcastle Police Station where he was charged with a mid-range offence.

He is scheduled to appear in court on February 20.

The incident comes less than a month after fellow Knights prop Russell Packer was jailed for assaulting a man outside a Sydney bar shortly after joining the club on a four-year contract.

New Zealand international Packer, who is appealing against the sentence, had yet to play for the club and was subsequently sacked.

Details also emerged on Sunday of exciting centre Dane Gagai, who joined Newcastle in 2012 after being sacked by Brisbane, going missing at an emerging Queensland Origin camp following a boozy night out.

The 23-year-old had a night out during the January 17-19 camp and didn’t front for training the next day at the camp being run by Knights coach Wayne Bennett at the Queensland Academy of Sport in Brisbane.

Former Knights five-eighth Ben Rogers, who is now employed by the club as a community and charity support manager, was also embroiled in controversy when he was charged with two counts of assault following an incident at a taxi rank late last year.

The NRL says their Integrity Unit has begun an investigation of the Mason drink-driving charge.

“The NRL Integrity Unit is aware of the incident and will work through the proper processes with Newcastle,” an NRL spokesman told AAP.