But Knights veteran Adam MacDougall has not featured in a play-off match for six years, a drought he is desperate to break.

The 34-year-old's last appearance in the finals was on September 13, 2003, when Newcastle were hammered 36-8 by the Roosters in week one of the post-season.

Within weeks of that defeat, he had signed with South Sydney for three hapless seasons, before returning to Newcastle in 2007 for two more years among the also-rans.

This year, however, the Knights are sixth on the ladder with two preliminary-round matches remaining against Canberra (away) and Penrith (home) and MacDougall is confident his frustrating stretch as a finals spectator is almost over.

"We came close [ninth] last year but obviously it would be good to get back in the finals, particularly as they don't come around too often," he said.

"It would be great for the club and great for everyone involved."

MacDougall could have been excused for taking finals for granted in early years with Newcastle, who were involved in the business end of each season between 1997 and 2003.

"My first stint at the club, we were in the finals every year but we haven't been in them too much since then," he said.

"Obviously it would be good to get the club back to the successful period we had in the late '90s and early 2000s, for sure."

MacDougall said Newcastle were determined to retain the momentum gained from successive wins against Melbourne and North Queensland.

"We don't want to be going into the semi-finals losing," he said.

"The beauty of the top eight this year is that the teams that make it will all be in form, winning games.

"You don't want to make the top eight after a number of losses and you probably don't deserve to be there anyway, if that is the case."

There was concern for Knights five-eighth Ben Rogers yesterday after a dizzy spell caused him to sit out most of Newcastle's training session.