South Sydney’s Burgess twins have emerged as shock contenders to replace David Klemmer

SOUTH Sydney twins George and Tom Burgess have emerged as shock contenders to replace Newcastle-bound prop David Klemmer at Canterbury.

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SOUTH Sydney twins George and Tom Burgess have emerged as shock contenders to replace Newcastle-bound prop David Klemmer at Canterbury.

The Burgess brothers have been identified on a hit list of players as the Bulldogs edge closer to releasing Klemmer to join the Knights on a four-year deal.

Canterbury officials will spend the off-season scouring the player market for a prop while they’ll also monitor the NRL’s coaching carousel.

Klemmer is expected to leave Canterbury for Newcastle. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images.

If Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett ends up at Souths this season in a swap with Anthony Seibold it could place uncertainty on the Burgess brothers’ future.

Bennett is keen to lure Broncos big man Tevita Pangai Junior to the Rabbitohs from 2020 when his contract expires.

This could force at least one of the Burgess brothers to leave Redfern for another club like Canterbury.

Tom and George are off-contract at the end of 2019 and the Bulldogs will closely monitor their situations.

Canterbury also have their sights set on the likes of Martin Taupau, Addin Fonua-Blake and Dylan Napa.

Klemmer is still on leave for another five weeks following Australia’s tour of New Zealand but his move to Newcastle is expected to be finalised in the coming weeks.

Canterbury have also explored bringing Martin Taupau back to the club. Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images.

The Origin and Test prop has already conducted a medical with the Knights while was recently seen looking at real estate in the Hunter.

Newcastle coach Nathan Brown refused to confirm the club was chasing Klemmer but he admitted they’d chat to the Canterbury prop if he became available.

“I’d rather focus on players we have, but if anything was to eventuate there, we’d be willing to talk,” Brown said.

“We’ve made no secret that we need one or two players of that front row status, if they are not a Test player, but have the potential to be a Test player.

“For our forward pack it is a position that we certainly need to strengthen and it is a position that with our cap we have planned to strengthen.

The twins have been mainstays at South Sydney for some time. Picture by Phil Hillyard.

“We’ve thrown a few punches and had a few misses, as was the case with Kalyn Ponga and Mitchell Pearce where we missed a few people in and around the traps.

“In recruitment you need an element of luck and to be positioned well with the finances to be able to do it, but you also need some things to fall your way.

“Hopefully over the next four to eight weeks something falls our way in that area.

“We have had a certain amount of luck in the last 18 months, so hopefully it can continue.”

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