The Tongan World Cup winger had an arthroscopic reconstruction of his left shoulder last month to tighten ligaments and reattach damaged cartilage and bone, a procedure that usually requires a recovery period of four to six months.

Vuna has been granted a tentative clearance to resume training but must avoid contact drills until January, although he hopes to have a clearer understanding when he sees surgeon Tim Musgrove in Sydney next week for a follow-up appointment.

"I think they're saying I should be back to full training by January, but I feel like I'm ready to go now, so I'll know more when I see the specialist next week," he said.

Vuna, who missed the first half of this year with a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, was confident of being fit for pre-season trials in February.

Australian and New Zealand internationals Kurt Gidley and Junior Sau, on Four Nations duty in England, were among many high-profile absentees yesterday.

Coach Rick Stone excused the club's Pacific Cup players, including Richie Fa'aoso (Tonga), Keith Lulia (Cook Islands) and Wes Naiqama and Aku Uate (Fiji), until the team's goal-setting camp in Singleton next week.

"Some of them played three games, some have played two, and they've been training for a month to five weeks with those teams, so they deserve the opportunity to have a little freshen-up before we go into our pre-season camp next week," Stone said.

NSW winger James McManus, who missed the second half of the season with an ankle injury, completed most of the session.

"Jimmy Mac's still being pretty cautious, but he did everything," Stone said.

Stone expected playmaker Ben Rogers, who had minor surgery on his feet last week, to be back on deck by the end of the month.

Stone confirmed a Knights squad would play the Newcastle Rugby League representative side in a pre-season trial at Tomaree Oval on February 12 or 13.