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Callum Chick has become the latest Newcastle Falcons player to announce his departure from Kingston Park as the North East side's mass exodus only increases.
Newcastle boss Steve Diamond will be a worried figure given he's already lost their most dangerous wing, Adam Radwan (Leicester Tigers), and the club's best back row, Guy Pepper (Bath) this season. Hooker Jamie Blamire (Leicester Tigers), full-back Ben Redshaw (Gloucester) and No.8 Chick (Northampton Saints) are all heading for the exit door at the end of the season as the Falcons fire sale continues.
Diamond has been open and honest about the club's struggling financial situation with Falcons being forced to spend way under the salary cap until they seek new investment.
It's difficult to know what Newcastle's starting XV will look like next term given they've lost virtually all their best performers and are in desperate need of new additions.
| # | Team | PL | W | L | D | PD | BP | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Bath Rugby | 15 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 238 | 14 | 66 |
| 2 |  Leicester Tigers | 15 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 90 | 13 | 51 |
| 3 |  Sale Sharks | 15 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 66 | 8 | 48 |
| 4 |  Bristol Bears | 15 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 15 | 47 |
| 5 |  Gloucester Rugby | 15 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 79 | 14 | 46 |
| 6 |  Saracens | 15 | 8 | 7 | 0 | -13 | 12 | 44 |
| 7 |  Northampton Saints | 15 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 10 | 38 |
| 8 |  Harlequins | 15 | 6 | 8 | 1 | -35 | 12 | 38 |
| 9 |  Exeter Chiefs | 15 | 3 | 12 | 0 | -147 | 9 | 21 |
| 10 |  Newcastle Falcons | 15 | 2 | 13 | 0 | -311 | 4 | 12 |
Standout players in another poor season
Centre Sammy Arnold has been a shining light with forceful carries and clever offloads, Elliott Obatoyinbo has impressed out wide, while Ethan Grayson is a deadeye off the tee but the Falcons now lack any noticeable international experience. Falcons also possess some dogged forwards, like Freddie Lockwood - third in the league's tackle charts (207), who will put their bodies on the line until the cow's come home but that only gets you so far...
This season, Newcastle look set to finish bottom of the table for a third successive campaign but Diamond faces an even bigger gulf in quality, considering those around them are building on their squads while the Falcons continue to lose their most prized assets.
A winless campaign would harm the Premiership's integrity further
Could we see a repeat of the 2023/24 season in which Falcons lost every game and picked up just five points? Here's hoping we don't but it's certainly not a good look for the league and only strengthens the argument that promotion/relegation should be reintroduced under a more lenient entry guidelines to allow the likes of big spending, serial second tier winners, Ealing Trailfinders, a shot at the big time instead.
