"They need to get off to a start and so do we. We've got to come out just as hard as them."
Even the most rusted-on Wests Tigers supporters would have struggled to predict Saturday's upset win over a Roosters side which has endured the most hype of any NRL club in the lead-up to this season.
The shock loss prompted Matthew Johns to question the Tricolours' forward pack on his Sunday night show and he wasn't the only one to criticise; ex-Rooster Brett Finch adding that what they produced was "not good enough".
"I'm comfortable and happy about the way we go about things and I don't think that it is our forwards that are the problem," Roosters captain Boyd Cordner said earlier this week when pressed on the issue.
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"It's a team game. I've got no doubts about our forward pack. I'm really comfortable playing with our forwards."
Just hours after the Roosters' loss, Canterbury unveiled a new-look forward pack of their own in Perth against the Melbourne Storm, before going down to the premiers.
Klemmer was joined up front by his Kangaroos teammate Aaron Woods, while Raymond Faitala-Mariner and Danny Fualalo also started, the pair having played much of last year from the bench.
New coach Dean Pay has instantly put his stamp on the Bulldogs after an exhausting pre-season which helped him determine the best configuration of his forward pack.
"There's a lot of competition for spots and Deano's really made that out there, it doesn't matter what you've done in the game, it's who's performing and what's best for the team whatever role you play," Klemmer said.
"He's been awesome, he's given us trust and a lot of belief. It was pretty disappointing losing his first game but we've got to kick start our season soon, especially on Friday. We've got a big game against the Roosters; hopefully we can perform really well and get the win."
Such is the strength of Canterbury's front row, Aiden Tolman has been forced back to the bench after doing so much of the grunt work last season.
He played most of last season at prop alongside the departed James Graham, with Klemmer locking the scrum.
Now he provides impact as an interchange player and could prove a key man late in the first half against the Roosters.
"As long as I'm playing footy in this team, that's all that matters," Tolman said.
"That's just the way footy goes and Dean's got to get his rotation right. Every game's won and lost in the forwards.
"If you can get the better of their forward pack around the ruck then the majority of times you're going to win games.
"They [the Roosters] have got a great side, they're stacked with representative players and it's going to be a big task for us.
"They're a big side, they've got plenty of power up front. I didn't watch the game live, we were getting ready for our game, but I've watched a bit of footy now and it's definitely a strength of theirs.
"They've got some really good players right across the park, they've got some really good strike power and it's going to be a really big game for both teams."
The Bulldogs head into Friday's blockbuster at Allianz Stadium off a shortened week, having flown back from Perth on Sunday morning and not returned to full training until Tuesday.
"We've just got to deal with that," Tolman said. "What better way than to get out there and play some footy."
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James Buckley writes on AFL for The Sydney Morning Herald.
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