KNIGHTS winger Aku Uate believes he is getting back to his best just in time for Test selection as he tries to push his claims against the Dragons at WIN Jubilee Oval tonight.
The Australian side for next Friday's Anzac Test against New Zealand will be selected tomorrow and will travel across the Tasman the following day.
Captain Kurt Gidley is recovering from minor knee surgery, so Uate and fullback Darius Boyd appear the Knights certain to stay in the Kangaroos side.
Prop Kade Snowden has a chance of regaining his spot. Uate, who debuted for Australia against the Kiwis on October 16 last year at Hunter Stadium, had minor knee surgery at the end of the Four Nations campaign in November. He also missed the round-four 20-6 win over the Bulldogs with a hip injury.
But he showed he was regaining the form that has made him the best winger in the game, scoring two tries in the 14-6 win over the Eels on Sunday at Hunter Stadium. The Fijian flyer said he was back to full fitness and confident going into the final chance to impress selectors. "It was good to get a few tries," Uate said. "I've had a few dramas in the off-season, and I'm just getting back to playing my best again.
"It would be good to be in that team for the Test match, but I've just got to train harder and just keep doing what I normally do on the field.
"Everyone deserves their position in the Australian team and to be part of it would be awesome again."
The 24-year-old believed the backline was beginning to gel after an injury-interrupted start to the campaign, and that was helping him regain his try-scoring touch.
"The back three and the halves are going really well," he said. "We turned it around last week and we'll come out firing tomorrow.
"We've had different players there for the first five rounds. We've got Tyrone there, Mullo and Darius with our back two and we've been working on that all week. We came out last week really well and worked together as a team."
Newcastle lost to the Dragons 15-14 in golden-point in the much-anticipated season opener at Hunter Stadium, and Uate said the Knights were keen to turn the tables tonight.
"Definitely for me, but for the whole team we're looking forward to this game," he said.
"It's going to be a tough match. I can't wait."
Despite Newcastle's scrappy win over the Eels, Uate believed the side were not far from producing their best. "I think the Knights are going good," he said.
The Dragons had an early win over the Knights off the park yesterday when they re-signed promising hooker Cameron King. Newcastle were believed to be keen to sign the 20-year-old.