NRL: Newcastle Knights’ prop David Klemmer accused of going ‘too far’ after nasty send-off against South Sydney

A sending off to Newcastle Knights enforcer David Klemmer has overshadowed a surging South Sydney Rabbitohs’ performance in the NRL on Friday.

Cody Walker inspired the Rabbitohs to a 40-28 victory, but it was the actions of Klemmer that stole the headlines.

The star prop was sent from the field for a ‘reckless elbow’ right on full-time, just minutes after squaring off with Keaon Koloamatangi.

Moments after the exchange, Klemmer collided with Daniel Suluka-Fifita and appeared to have led with his elbow to the head.

The collision prompted Latrell Mitchell to run in and drag Klemmer off his teammate, as both teams squared off.

“Honestly, David Klemmer stepped over the edge. Game was gone. They are not going to fight back. He has a little scuffle with Koloamatangi just before and he just took it too far,” NRL pundit Cooper Cronk said after the game.

“He went for aggression. He went for contact. Then there was a little elbow that fell on the head as he went down.

“He is lucky he didn’t sit that elbow on the head, but he didn’t have to do it. It was unnecessary so he will get looked at. It sort of missed and slid off, but he didn’t have to do it.”

Knights coach Adam O’Brien revealed Klemmer apologised to his team right after the game.

“He’s got a high care factor, Klem. He’s already addressed it [the send off] with his team-mates,” O’Brien said post-match.

“He’s put in close to 70-odd minutes and he’s frustrated and he’s let his emotions probably take over but he’s not Robinson Crusoe for that to happen. People get frustrated.”