Newcastle Knights veteran prop David Klemmer has declared that he wants to play his career out in the Hunter.
Klemmer's future has been under the microscope for the best part of 12 months ahead of his current contract expiring at the end of the 2023 season.
The former New South Wales prop - who has played 14 State of Origin games for the Blues and 19 Tests for the Australian national team - made the most to Newcastle in 2019 on a big-money deal and has played nearly 200 NRL games at the end of the season.
It was first reported that he was exploring his options at the end of the 2021 season following the double re-signing of Daniel and Jacob Saifiti at the club, although ultimately regained his place in the starting team during the 2022 season with excellent form where he was the best performer more often than he wasn't for the men from the Hunter.
However, everything shifted again on August 1, when Klemmer was linked with a sudden deadline day move to the Parramatta Eels.
That never eventuated, however, with the gun forward stood down the following week for an on-field run in with the club's trainer, speculation has refused to disappear since.
Speaking to The Newcastle Herald however, Klemmer said he'd like to finish his career in Newcastle.
"I'd like to get one more deal and finish up here," Klemmer told the Newcastle Herald.
"I don't want to move anywhere else. I could have stayed in Sydney [four years ago], but I moved my family up here because I thought it was a great opportunity and the club had a lot of potential.
"I love the club, I love the town. My family are settled up here, so why would we want to leave?"
Klemmer also admitted the rumours surrounding his future were not nice to hear.
"I've been around for a long time now and usually where there's smoke, there's fire," he said.
"I guess it's just part of the game. I don't know where it comes from, but it's not nice to hear."
The Knights were well short of the finals this season, seeing a drop down the table from their eighth-placed finish in 2021, and will be a club under pressure in 2023.