Knights captain Mitchell Pearce was on the paddock when a 42-year-old Brad Fittler went 55 metres for one of rugby league's slowest intercepts.

He reckons Newcastle legend Danny Buderus has it in him to do the same when the NRL Nines returns next February.

Pearce is hopeful new Knights coach Adam O'Brien will throw him into the thick of it when the tournament kicks off in Perth on February 14-15.

The star half also says Buderus, now 41, could replicate Freddie's show-stopping exploits from the 2014 tournament in Auckland, coming out of retirement for the tournament and bringing the house down when he claimed a long-range intercept from Brisbane's David Stagg.

Buderus recently captained Newcastle's League of Legends side and remains in decent physical nick after a brilliant 257-game career for the club.

"I got to play with Freddie for that one day when he was back as a bit of a celebrity inclusion," Pearce said.

"He took that intercept over in Auckland, brought the house down when he took off. Be great to see something like that.

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"It'd be great to play with someone like Bedsy again I reckon. He had a trot around at the Legends recently, a few of us went out and watched him captain that Knights team.

"He still carved it up – what a player, what a champion. I reckon he could still go around again at the Nines."

Pearce hasn't played a Nines tournament since 2015 with the Roosters, but he would loom as a star attraction alongside recent Kangaroos debutant Kalyn Ponga.

If Buderus could be convinced to throw the boots on again he would join the likes of Fittler, Manly great Steve Menzies and Canberra greats Jason Croker and Ken Nagas to come out of retirement for the pre-season tournament.

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Official NRL Travel packages, including NRL Nine’s tickets, accommodation options and exclusive experiences with NRL Legends can be purchased via www.nrl.com/travel