Newcastle star David Klemmer believes Tyson Frizell would love life at the Knights should he accept a lucrative deal to leave St George Illawarra.
The off-contract Frizell is understood to be considering a three-year deal with the Knights once his current deal expires at the end of this NRL season.
Klemmer was buoyed by the prospect of linking with his Kangaroos teammate, describing Frizell as one of the best forwards in the world.
“He’s one of the best backrowers in the comp, if not the world. He’s a different sort of player,” Klemmer told reporters on Monday.
“He’s got good leg speed and he’s very good defensively as well.”
Frizell opened up on his contract situation during the NRL nines on the weekend, listing a shot at a premiership as a major factor in his decision.
The Dragons are looking to bounce back this year after finishing 15th in 2019.
But already they will be reeling by the Knights’ bid for one of the game’s premier players and the first superstar target of new coach Adam O’Brien.
Frizell will get an early look at his potential teammates when the Dragons face the Knights in a trial in Maitland on Saturday.
Klemmer said luring Frizell would be great for the club, who also have Kalyn Ponga, Mitch Barnett and Klemmer locked down for at least three more years.
Halfback Mitchell Pearce comes off-contract at the end of 2021.
“If we could grab him, that’d be a great signing,” Klemmer said.
“He’ll love it up here. He’ll have a great bunch of fellas up here and great culture we’re building up here. I’ll let the powers that be control that.
“(But) we’d love to have him up here.”
Klemmer was reluctant to discuss his conversations with his representative teammate but suggested this could be Frizell’s final shot at financial security.
“He’s got to look after his family at the end of the day and it’s probably one of the big contracts of his career, the one that’s most important,” Klemmer said.
“He’s got to obviously have a good think about what he wants to do. I wish him all the best with it. He’s a great fella and he’d be a great addition to our club too.”