Sidelined for six months last year after a double disc replacement, Taia said the confidence he gained out of an unexpected comeback in Newcastle’s semi-final loss to Melbourne had provided him with a world of reassurance over the summer.

A shock 11th-hour inclusion against the Storm, Taia played 48 minutes off the bench, making 22 tackles and 99 metres in attack.

It set his mind at ease.

‘‘That’s the reason I wanted to come back and play last year,’’ Taia said yesterday.

‘‘I had people saying I should wait until next year, but having got through that semi-final I don’t have a worry about my first game back.

‘‘It was only one game but it did my confidence a lot of good. That’s why I came back, and I’m really happy I did.’’

The New Zealand Test forward said his neck felt ‘‘100 per cent now’’ and had not caused him any inconvenience during the pre-season.

‘‘The operation was a big success,’’ he said.

‘‘Straight away, as soon as I woke up, it felt heaps better.

‘‘It’s a new year now and I’m not even thinking about the neck any more.’’

Taia said he never lost faith, despite being advised by one specialist to consider retirement.

‘‘I just had to keep convincing myself that I’d get back out there,’’ he said.

‘‘And that’s what I did. I just thought positive.

‘‘I just kept my head down and kept working hard and kept believing that I would play again.’’

Taia, who has played in 78 NRL games for Newcastle since arriving from Parramatta in mid-2007, is expected to start tonight’s match in the back row.

The 27-year-old said all players would be eager to create an early impression on new coach Wayne Bennett.

‘‘Obviously Wayne has gone with the experienced campaigners first, but he’s made it clear that if you don’t perform, he’ll find someone else,’’ he said.

‘‘There’s a lot of back-rowers here who can do the job.