Bulldogs enforcer David Klemmer says he won't be changing his aggressive style of play despite missing his side's opening round win over the Sea Eagles.
Confident his growing maturity will put his aggression in good stead Klemmer is expected to be named on the Bulldogs' bench for Thursday night's game against the Panthers.
Klemmer was suspended in Canterbury-Bankstown's final pre-season trial after throwing himself at the legs of Storm forward Kenny Bromwich – the 22-year-old unpleased by Melbourne's treatment of hooker Michael Lichaa in the prior set.
"The passion to play the sport, you work yourself up in those moments. I'm playing at a high level, I'm very competitive and sometimes that gets the best of me so I just have to control it a bit better," Klemmer said on Monday.
"I'll never change. I just think in the right moments I have to be smarter with the way I go about things. That will come with maturity and experience. Dessie [Hasler] is happy with my progress and the way I'm maturing as a footballer."
Fellow bench forward Tim Browne has urged the NSW and Australia representative Klemmer to maintain his destructiveness.
"I think it is his asset, that's why he's so good. It's important he keeps it because that's why he's done so well over the last couple of years," Browne said.
"I love it when he's playing. I like playing alongside a guy like 'Klem'. He's just exciting to play with and he has a lot of energy. His youth is a good ingredient too. We did really well on the weekend but to have him back is a bonus."
Klemmer went on to add he hopes to re-sign with the club in the coming weeks.
"It's coming through now and I'm happy to stay here at the club," he said.
"We're still working away it and it's going really well. It's probably in its final stages so I'm pretty happy at the moment."
Meanwhile centre Chase Stanley is unsure whether he'll be fit to play the Panthers.
Stanley failed to return after half-time against Manly due to a hamstring complaint and isn't keen to risk a potential long-term lay-off by forcing himself to play on Thursday.
"It's just a little strain, it's nothing too serious. It was tight during the week and it only got tighter and tighter through the game so we thought it would be safest to not come back on," Stanley said.
"I haven't run on it this week yet so I'll see how it pulls up after that. It's frustrating but it happens. It's the nature of the sport and it's only early in the season so I don't want to push it and make it any worse."
This article first appeared on NRL.com
