James Gavet’s link to Hollywood star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson

If you smell what James Gavet is cookin’ — it’s a premiership at Newcastle. The Knights recruit has revealed he is directly related to the world’s biggest movie star.

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Talk about a blockbuster recruitment drive.

For all the hype around Kalyn Ponga, Mitchell Pearce and David Klemmer in Newcastle, James Gavet brings some real Hollywood star power to the Knights.

The 29-year-old is a direct relation to the biggest movie star in the world, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Not that their careers have crossed paths.

“I’ve never met him,” Gavet said, despite their grandfathers being brothers.

But their mothers are close friends and Johnson’s mum Ata ­receives the celebrity treatment when she comes over.

“Whenever she’s in New Zealand she’d come round and visit and everyone would make a thing out of it because it’s the Rock’s mum,” Gavet said.

“It’s funny because half of the family would be ‘make sure we go out and meet her’, whereas me being a footy player and knowing a bit of that, the number of family and friends that pop up, the last thing I want to do is be the type of person going after someone whose status is 100 times that of mine.”

James Gavet. Picture: AAP

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Picture: Getty Images

While Gavet has been busy forging his NRL path with Canterbury, Wests Tigers, Brisbane, New Zealand and now Newcastle, his cousin has been starring in films such as Moana, Jumanji, Baywatch and the Fast and the Furious series.

Gavet’s bank balance doesn’t compare to that of his famous cousin, who made $124 million last year and has an estimated net worth upwards of $312 million, but there are similarities.

Gavet is 189cm and 108kg, while Johnson stands 196cm tall and weighs in at 118kg.

Before he was a professional wrestler with the WWE, which ­catapulted him into Hollywood, Johnson was an accomplished American football player.

He won the 1991 NCAA championship with the University of Miami as a defensive tackle.

In fact, talent is strewn throughout Gavet’s family.

Dwayne Johnson played for the University of Miami Hurricanes. Picture: Getty Images

His brother-in-law is New Zealand basketballer Steven Adams, who is the starting centre for NBA side the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Adams’ sister Valerie is a dual Olympic gold medal shot­putter.

So Gavet knows talent when he sees it. And he believes the Knights have the personnel to reach the finals and deliver Newcastle their first premiership since 2001.

“If you look across the team, it’s almost like a rep team,” Gavet said.

“Me, I’ve been around the traps. Broncos, Warriors, Dogs all fell short of the premiership, but made the GF. I don’t see any difference to those teams to what we have here.

“We actually have a lot more youth on our side and a lot more enthusiasm.

“If they are able to get their heads around knowing their potential and how good you actually are, it’s a dangerous thing.

“That’s where our senior boys know, we could actually go all the way here.”

James Gavet has joined the Knights after three seasons with the Warriors. Picture: Getty Images

Brought in to add some muscle to an ­already impressive pack at Newcastle, a club he says he already loves, being an enforcer is in Gavet’s blood.

So it’s no surprise he leaves nothing in the tank.

“You’ve got to, I’ve got a bit of old school about me. You’ve got to bring that stuff,” he said, unaware it’s eerily similar to The Rock’s wrestling catchphrase: Just Bring It.

After a career peppered with season-ending injuries, Gavet has never felt better.

Early days he was appearing in about half a season’s games when he was fit. Last year was his best when he turned out for the Warriors 19 times.

The Sydney-born Samoan international is adjusting to his new role of “the old guy”, but his body isn’t feeling that way.

“I’ve got the experience and professionalism in there. my body doesn’t feel like it’s slowing down at all,” he said.

“People ask if my best footy is to come. I do feel it.”