Kalyn Ponga says he is ready to thrive on the opportunity to take Newcastle back to the finals as they attempt to defy the odds in the final fortnight of the season.
The Knights' 36-16 win over South Sydney on Saturday night kept them in 11th spot on the ladder, but still in the race to make the top-eight.
Newcastle will need to win their last two games against Gold Coast and Dolphins, and hope both Brisbane and St George Illawarra slip up along the way.
Ponga was close to the Knights' best in Saturday night's win, providing the headline moment of the match when he broke the line twice in a minute to set up a try.
It was last year's Dally M Medallist taking the game by the scruff of the neck in the same way he did with the Knights' season in 2023.
"I get excited by it. It's a challenge ahead of us," Ponga said.
"This group knows what is ahead of us and we're excited by that. At home next week, there is a lot of excitement headed into the final two rounds.
"I just want to perform as well as I can and prepare as well as I can and leave no stone unturned. That's all I can take care of.
"Prepare as well as I can for the performance on the weekend, make sure I am getting around the boys, make sure we're connected."
Sidelined by injury for the middle part of this season, Ponga has been solid in 2024 without having the same regular game-defining impact he did last year.
But coach Adam O'Brien said the fullback now had a look about him again, with the Knights threatening to make a late finals charge.
"I missed 10 weeks. My first couple of games I felt like I was finding my feet," Ponga said.
"I'm excited about my footy, the team's footy and these last two rounds."
The other benefit for Ponga was the performance of Jack Cogger, who he said was extremely vocal in directing traffic after being recalled to the halves for the third time in 2024.
The No.6 scored a double and set up two tries in the win, as O'Brien labelled it his best game since returning to the Knights this season.
"There is more to his game than those things. He steered the team around and was very vocal," O'Brien said.
"That's what we wanted from Jack ... I thought he kicked the ball well."
Newcastle will be without Tyson Frizell through a concussion for the Titans clash, with Kai Pearce-Paul is in doubt after being hospitalised with a gruesome leg gash.
NSW State of Origin centre Bradman Best could return from a hamstring injury.
