Knights prop David Klemmer does not subscribe to the theory this season's premiership won't mean as much as previous titles if the competition is shortened, declaring: "Given all the adversity, it might end up meaning more".
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And the Kangaroos star has an ally in Knights coach Adam O'Brien, who also dismissed suggestions there may be an asterisk next to whoever wins the 2020 premiership.
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"I don't think it will mean anything less to our players and our fans so I don't really care about anything else," O'Brien told the Newcastle Herald.
The NRL is expected to this week announce details of the structure of the rebooted competition with the season to potentially resume at the end of next month.
Anywhere from 17 to 20 rounds are expected to be played depending on the outcome of negotiations between ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys and broadcast partners Fox and Channel Nine.
But already, a draw with a reduced number of rounds from the regular 26 has led to a number of people in the game, including former Knights great Andrew Johns, to claim this year's premiers will always have an asterick next to their name.
Johns even likened it to Newcastle's 1997 premiership win when the competition was split because of the Super League war.
"The cream will always get to the top and then the semi-final series, we're going to see the best of the best," Johns said. "Unfortunately, there will always be that asterisk against the team that wins the competition."
But Klemmer said the premiership race has been turned into a test of adversity and mental strength by COVID-19 and will be "one for the history books".
"Hopefully, we'll know a lot more pretty soon about the competition structure and whether it is going to be 20 weeks or how long it's going to be and what the mini-pre-season is going to look like," he said.
"It's going to be pretty special and one for the history books that's for sure. It will be a premiership win that not too many people will forget, given the circumstances of this year.
"When you consider what's happened throughout the world with the pandemic and to sport in particular, winning the comp this year is going to be the team that best gets over all this adversity and who has been the strongest mentally and physically to handle this period and get it right.
"So for me personally and I think for most of the boys playing, it could end up meaning more I reckon. We are still going to be playing a lot of games.
"I know for sure I'll be coming back to have a real good season and will be busting my arse to try and win the comp.
"Everyone will be hungry as to get back out there and play footy and it's going to come down to who wants it the most. It will be interesting to see who has been doing the work while we've been off.
"I know our boys have been working hard and are stinging to get back and get into it."
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