David Klemmer believes he won’t be fazed when the Knights meet Canterbury

David Klemmer is less than a week away from taking on his old team for the first time but the former Bulldog is utterly focused on his new surroundings.

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Newcastle prop Dave Klemmer will square off against his old club, Canterbury, in ‘Magic Round’.

Which, coincidentally, is news to him.

“Really?” the Knights recruit said this week when quizzed on the blockbuster. “I thought it was still a couple of weeks away.

“Obviously that game, it’s going to be an emotional one.

“But if I start thinking about playing the Bulldogs, it can only be a distraction. And over the last couple of years, I’ve learnt a lot in that regard.”

Once an NRL enforcer who could become consumed by “head noise”, Klemmer is now choosing to ignore all talk involving NSW Origin, clashes with old mates, even the pressures of being a $4.6 million recruit at a struggling club.

Up against the Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium this afternoon, the marquee Knight insists his only focus is bringing some consistency to a side that upset Parramatta 28-14 at home last start.

Asked if he felt added pressure after a club with such big expectation dropped five of its first six games, and sat dead last, to start the year, Klemmer continued: “I’ve been in these situations before.

“But in saying that. I’m also a very competitive bloke. I want to be winning games.

“And it’s been frustrating for me because I know what this side is capable of.

Klemmer was a Bulldogs stalwart. Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images.

“There’s a lot of emotions involved in rugby league and people’s mental state’s across the board — the players, coaches, everyone — it can be hard.

“When you’ve got people talking about you, it can affect a person’s head space when they come to training. So it’s been good this week coming in after that win against Parramatta.”

Pushed on the pressure that comes with being a marquee recruit, Klemmer admits he has completely overhauled his mental approach to footy in recent years.

“There were lots of times in the past where things distracted me,” he tells The Sunday Telegraph. “Where I’ve actually had some pretty heavy head noise.

“But to learn, you have to go through that.

“And I’ve learned my lessons.

The star prop has thrived at the Knights. Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images.

“I understand now how things get put out there (through the media) which you hear about, talk about ... then you start thinking about them.

“You become a part of that (conversation), which distracts your focus.

“So now when somebody says something about me, I’ve learnt to brush it away.

LISTEN! Matty reveals the biggest lie he ever told coach, the song he can’t get out of his head, an Origin rumour that won’t go away and what it’s like to have a video session under Tommy Raudonikis. Don’t miss this week’s episode of the Matty Johns podcast.

“I recognise you can’t worry about what other people say, or what expectations they may have of you.

“If I do, I’m letting my side down.

“Plus, these days I’m confident about the person I am, and the position I’m in.

“So someone talking about Origin, my playing against the Bulldogs, whatever ... that’s an opinion, but it doesn’t impact on me.”

Still, we’re guessing you want in on another Blues jumper, right?

“I’d love to play Origin again,” Klemmer continues. “And during that week leading in (to selections), I might have a think about it.

“But right now, I have to concentrate on playing footy with Newcastle.

“I can’t think about anything but winning games here.”