David Klemmer was so settled in Newcastle that he had begun building a house with plans to stay there even after his rugby league career ended.
Now he’s living with his in-laws in Sydney.
The 29-year-old, who still had another year to go on his contract, turned back the clock last season to produce his best form since arriving to the Knights.
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“I was coming off contract and asked the club if there was any opportunity and they were just stalling a bit,” Klemmer told foxsports.com.au.
When asked if that hurt, he conceded: “A little bit. Obviously (after) what I gave and how I trained… But at the end of the day I’m not bitter about it, I know how rugby league works.
“I’ve just got to get on with it and make sure I look after my family, make sure my body is right and especially make sure my footy is good so I can perform for the Tigers,” he added.
The Tigers were quick to swoop on Klemmer. After all, coach Tim Sheens knows exactly what the towering prop has to offer after given him his Kangaroos debut in 2014.
And for a “grateful” Klemmer, just the pursuit from the club was enough for him to meet with Sheens and assistant coach Benji Marshall on the eve of pre-season.
“‘Sheensy’ was pretty keen on getting me down here so I felt wanted… And that’s probably what you want as a player — you want to feel like you’re needed,” he said.
“It was in the off-season, it was late too — they were about to start training again. I sat down with ‘Sheensy’, then I sat down with Benji and I just knew straight away what they wanted from me and where this club’s going.
“It was a no-brainer sort of thing, it was easy.
“They were great and I haven’t let them down in any way, I’ve come down here and am training me back side off to repay them for giving me the opportunity.
“I’m pretty happy, I feel like a kid again — it’s awesome.”
Requesting an early release from the Knights was the easy part with Klemmer saying: “they didn’t stand in my way.”
Breaking the news to his kids on the other hand…
“It was probably the hardest telling (them),” he shared.
“They were pretty settled up there with all their friends. They got a bit emotional and it took a toll on them but they’ll be right, they’ll come down here and make new friends.
“We’ll be back up there after footy.”
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The Klemmer’s are going to hang onto the house they’re building and will return to Newcastle once his career is over — which could be after this Tigers contract given he’ll be 33 by the end of it if the club and he both take up the option for 2025.
But for now, it’s full steam ahead with Tigers and life in Bossley Park with the in-laws.
His three boys — Jackson, Cooper and DJ — are all on board now too with Klemmer confirming “they’ve got their Tigers jerseys ready.”
And Klemmer is planning on producing another season of barnstorming runs and rock-solid defence after realising it was his booze ban that was behind 2022’s vintage form.
“Probably staying off the drink I reckon,” he said when asked what sparked last season’s resurgence.
“I’ve never done it, I enjoy a quiet beer at home. But I was pretty disciplined there with the way I ate as well — I’m always pretty good but I was just so strict on myself.
“I just felt a lot better, a much better head space, felt a lot clearer.”
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Klemmer stuck to the self-imposed ban from Round 1 right through to the Knights’ final game of the season — and will do it again.
“I’ll probably do it until I finish up (footy) I reckon,” he said.
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Klemmer set a standard for himself last season that he’s carried with him to his new club and according to fellow new recruit Api Koroisau, it’s putting the rest of the squad on notice.
“He wound the clock back last year,” Koroisau told foxsports.com.au.
“But what I’m seeing now is the intensity he brings to training is rubbing off on everyone around him.
“He’ll take one carry and it’ll be harder than anyone else’s so then everyone can see he’s not playing around.”
The presence of the 19-time Kangaroo and 14-time State of Origin representative is clearly being felt at Concord, but the Tigers’ next generation will be chuffed to know they’re leaving a mark too.
“When I got here I saw all these young guys coming through and there’s some extremely talented kids out there, which is exciting. They make me feel young and push myself,” Klemmer said.
