Two of the game's biggest young frontrowers, representative teammates David Klemmer and Reagan Campbell-Gillard, are set for an explosive confrontation when their respective sides Newcastle and Penrith clash at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday at 5.30pm.

It's a heavyweight showdown if ever there was one.

Knights recruit Klemmer tips the scales at 116kgs with Campbell-Gillard only a kilogram lighter at 116 while at 193 cms tall, the Panthers prop won't have far to look up to see Klemmer [198cms] coming.

Adding spice to the match-up, both players are 25 and have been together at Kangaroos and NSW Blues level over the past couple of seasons and could potentially dominate the representative scene in the frontrow for the next five years at least.

But rep jumpers won't be on their minds on Saturday when all they will be worrying about is providing the platform up front for their side to win.

Klemmer set the bar high in his Knights debut in round one and goes into the Penrith clash with plenty of confidence after coming away with a clear points victory over the much-vaunted Cronulla pack in a performance skipper Mitchell Pearce rated one of the best of his career.

He ran for more than 200 metres and was heavily involved defensively and the fact he produced it in his first game for the Knights will have local fans salivating at what is to come from him.

"You hope to do that every week obviously but you've got to be as consistent as you can and it's the people around me that are helping me do that," Klemmer said.

"I thought we played good as a side and I just had to do my role [against the Sharks]. We laid a platform but it's only a start and we haven't earned any praises yet. We are still learning and we just have to keep building on that."

Klemmer is taking nothing for granted this week with the Panthers arriving in town looking for redemption after a below par effort to start the season against Parramatta where their lack of discipline with the footy proved their undoing.

"Obviously they are looking for their first win but it's going to be a tough game because there are some good players in their side. We've just got to prepare well," he said.

As for his personal duel with Campbell-Gillard, Klemmer says he knows it will be tough going in the centre of the park.

"Me and Reg [Campbell-Gillard] obviously played in those sides and we've played against each other," he said.

"He's a competitor and it's always a great contest with him and big Jimmy Tamou. We know we have a big job on our hands this week. They are two great players.

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"They are going to come out firing so we just have to make sure we get our jobs done."

Pearce admits he is looking forward to the big showdown between the pair.

"It will be no place for the faint-hearted in the middle," he said.

"They are both big boys who won't take a backward step but Klem was great for us last week. It was one of the best performances of his career and he'll be coming off the back fence again on Saturday."

Meanwhile, Klemmer and Knights teammate Aidan Guerra have both backed Pearce in his bid to win back his NSW Blue's jersey as he prepares to come up against Panthers and Blues halves James Maloney and Nathan Cleary.

"Nath's a great young player, I've played with him and he's the next big thing in rugby league and then you've got Mitchell Pearce who's ultra competitive, he's played Origin, he's won a comp and wants to get back in that side,"Klemmer said.

"That's one of his goals to play in that arena again and I'm backing him all the way."