Former NSW State of Origin prop Mark Carroll urged the Blues selectors to unleash the beast in this year's interstate opener and pick Canterbury firebrand David Klemmer because of his Mark Geyer-like style.
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Klemmer, 21, is two metres tall and uses his 120-kilogram frame to batter opposition defences.
He has already represented Australia in three Tests, but Carroll said the similarities between the Bulldogs enforcer and cult hero Geyer ought to be irresistible when the Blues announce their team to defend the Origin crown.
"I had the City Origin players in my gym and I hit him in the head a few times while we were doing some pad work [boxing training] to see what kind of bite he had and I said, 'I can see why Des Hasler likes you'," Carroll said.
"I phoned Des and told him I loved the kid; he reminded me a lot of my old Penrith teammate Mark Geyer.
"He's a big kid who weighs 118kg – MG was probably 105-110kg – but both of them have long limbs. If Klemmer can control his aggression he'll be anything. I watched the footy the other day and it struck me the guys aren't that big.
"Willie Mason is a big bloke and even at his age [35] he's making an impact. Dangle a carrot in front of Klemmer and say, 'You're playing Origin', but not to go on like MG, because this footy is him."
Geyer entered Origin folklore in 1991 following his infamous stand-off with Wally Lewis in torrential rain at the Sydney Football Stadium.
He was suspended, described by Queensland coach Graham Lowe as "a lunatic" and despite saying a NSW official told him to raise hell, he was suspended and never selected for the state again. Klemmer fell foul of the judiciary and was suspended for three weeks after he abused referee Gerard Sutton in the controversial Good Friday loss to South Sydney, but Carroll said while he needed to curb his aggressive streak, the indications suggested Klemmer was "special".
"I don't know if he'd start [for NSW], but if you brought him on off the bench he'd definitely add plenty of tenacity," he said.
"You need at least one big guy on the bench these days and I think Klemmer could make a difference." Carroll has sent Klemmer a text since their session to offer him his support. The former international, who runs Spudd's Gym at Woolloomooloo, showed a similar interest in Souths hard nut Sam Burgess before he returned to England after helping to guide the Rabbitohs to their first premiership title in 43 years.
Geyer said he had noticed similarities between himself and Klemmer, but he warned the youngster not tomake his mistakes. "He's striving to be the alpha male of his team, and that was the job I was given by Ron Willey early on and it stuck with my throughout my career," Geyer said.
"My advice is sometimes the emotions of a rugby league game can get the better of you, but later on in life you can look back on it with regret. While David needs to be himself, you [sometimes] need to change some things in your game.
"He's big, strong and has everything going for him, but I'd say to Klemmer, 'Be yourself'.
"When I was a young bloke it was easy for me to be encouraged by the senior boys – and the coach – to be more aggressive than I needed to be and it bit me on the arse."
