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Knights prop David Klemmer.

David Klemmer believes the Knights have made strides over the past fortnight to prove to themselves they can win without several key players, including star fullback Kalyn Ponga.

Victories over the Bulldogs and Warriors ensure the Knights will take plenty of confidence into their round three clash with Wests Tigers on Sunday.

They will look to celebrate Mitchell Pearce's 300th NRL game in style but will do so without first-grade regulars Ponga, Blake Green, Lachlan Fitzgibbon and Edrick Lee for a third consecutive week.

Ponga and Green are still a couple of weeks away from a return with the Knights to host back-to-back home games over the next fortnight.

"The guys who are missing are key position players so for us as a group we want to make sure we're winning games so we're not relying on them [when they return]," Klemmer said.

We want to make Mitch's 300th special: Klemmer

"We want to make sure we're not pushing them too hard [when they return] especially because they've been out for so long. We want to keep doing well for them.

"We're tracking alright so far but there's still stuff we can definitely improve on.

"We're finding ways to win. I think we've been behind on the scoreboard in the last two weeks but have had the resilience to find a win. In previous years, it's something we've struggled with."

Pearce becomes the 42nd player to reach the 300-game milestone and the fifth youngest after Brad Fittler, Darius Boyd, Nathan Hindmarsh and Anthony Watmough.

"We don't like losing player milestones and everyone's got to come out and perform," Klemmer said.

"We want to make that memorable for [any player] so they could look back on their careers one day and say I won my 100th or 200th."

Knights fullback Tex Hoy was just seven when Pearce debuted in 2007 and says the veteran No.7's knowledge of the game is "second to none".

"Three hundred games is pretty big for any player but especially for Pearcey who has been through a lot," Hoy said.

"I don't know a player who doesn't stop talking about footy. He teaches and shows you a lot."

Hoy is expected to make way when Ponga returns from a shoulder injury next month but hopes to improve in a few areas before then.

Mitchell Pearce's journey to 300

"I've been pretty happy but there's a lot I can improve to help the team get some more points on the board and I could stop a few tries as well," Hoy said.

"I had 24 runs on the weekend but could only count about 10 as proper good runs so I'll work on that."

 

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