http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/state-of-origin/state-of-origin-2016-david-klemmer-almost-left-bulldogs-to-join-aaron-woods-at-wests-tigers-20160530-gp7532.html
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NSW prop David Klemmer has revealed how close he came to joining the Wests Tigers after an attempt from best mate Aaron Woods to lure him away from Canterbury earlier in the season.
Woods and Klemmer, strangers before the 2014 City-Country game, have since become the closest of friends and have been inseparable in the past two NSW Origin camps, having been paired together as roommates.
Klemmer, who negotiated his own contract with the Bulldogs before signing a four-year deal with the club ths month, held several discussions with Woods about joining the joint venture club.
Bond: NSW teammates Aaron Woods (left) and David Klemmer have been roommates during the past two Origin camps.
Bond: NSW teammates Aaron Woods (left) and David Klemmer have been roommates during the past two Origin camps. Photo: Janie Barrett
While the 22-year-old wouldn't have been able to land the type of money at the Tigers that he did at Canterbury with a deal in excess of $2 million for four years, Klemmer says he gave genuine thought to the possibility of leaving the Bulldogs to link with Woods.
"Me and him had a yarn about it. There was an option there to go to the Tigers," Klemmer told Fairfax Media ahead of Wednesday night's State of Origin series opener at ANZ Stadium.
"I really had a deep discussion with my family and my missus most importantly, and we had to make the right decision to help me progress forward. Me and Woodsy have always spoken and joked about it, saying 'imagine playing with each other'. He just said 'how good would it be, we'll see each other everyday, we'll get married and run off'.
Friendly rivals: David Klemmer is held up over the line by Aaron Woods.
Friendly rivals: David Klemmer is held up over the line by Aaron Woods. Photo: Mark Kolbe
"It was tempting, I'm not going to lie. He's one of my closest mates if not my best mate. It was very tempting to go over there and play with him, but I've been a Bulldogs supporter since I was a kid. It would have been very hard to leave the club I've supported since I was a little boy."
While the Tigers captain was hopeful of negotiating one of the biggest coups in the club's short history, he didn't heap pressure on Klemmer to turn his back on the Bulldogs.
So close have the pair become, they recently had coffee at a Belmore cafe with Bulldogs five-eighth Josh Reynolds and Tigers hooker Robbie Farah just a few days before they squared off at ANZ Stadium in round 10.
Brothers in arms: David Klemmer and Aaron Woods sing the national anthem with Will Hopoate before game one of the 2015 …
Brothers in arms: David Klemmer and Aaron Woods sing the national anthem with Will Hopoate before game one of the 2015 State of Origin series. Photo: Mark Kolbe
Despite Klemmer, who will start on the bench on Wednesday night, turning down Woods' bid to lure him to the Tigers, there's no hard feelings shared between the pair.
"With players like that, you'd love to have at your club," Woods said.
"I told him we'd love to have him, but we just might not have enough money for you. I just threw it out there and said 'if you're keen, I can talk to people at the club, but if not it's all good, it's not going to change our friendship'.
"He's got a little family to look after as well, so it's awesome to see him locked up at the Bulldogs for four years."
Klemmer, who this year shared a room in the Blues' Coffs Harbour camp with Woods and Farah, has no doubts over his decision to re-sign with Canterbury.
He insists Woods was happy for him when he informed the Tigers prop that he would be staying at Belmore, knowing exactly what it would mean for Klemmer, his partner and his two young boys.
"Honestly, he was happy for me," Klemmer said.
"I've got two kids I have to look after. He was happy for me because he knows it's a business. It's a business, too, so you have to look after yourself and make sure you go there everyday happy. I'm happy I made the right decision."
