A young veteran of seven seasons in the NRL, Mata'utia holds the unfortunate record of playing the most games for Newcastle (112) without making an appearance in the play-offs.

The 23-year-old's career, which kicked off in 2014, has coincided with the leanest period in the club's history, including three consecutive wooden spoon campaigns between 2015 and 2017.

Concerns have been raised about how players across the NRL will respond to playing in empty stadiums for possibly the rest of the season, once the competition resumes after the coronavirus hiatus on May 28. But Mata'utia says he'll play anywhere, any time, it it allows him to experience post-season action.

"It's been a seven-year process and continuing, so I'd do anything," Mata'utia told the Newcastle Herald.

"If there was no crowd, it wouldn't bother me, just as long as we made it to the finals ... I'd play in a car park if we had to.

"We have to have the mentality that whatever the circumstances, we play to the best of our ability."

Mata'utia said he expected to make the play-offs last year when the Knights strung together six consecutive wins mid-season, only to lose nine of their last 12 games to finish 11^th, three points behind the top eight.

"Last year was the closest I've ever been," he said.

"It was so exciting halfway through the year, then so disappointing in the end. None of us want to go through that again."

Mata'utia is confident 2020 is his best chance to make a finals breakthrough.

"We've been through the rebuilding of the club and some tough years, but we've got a good, strong squad now and started the year off pretty good, with two wins," he said. "We get to keep those four points, so we're in a good position."

Mata'utia missed the first two rounds of the season with a knee injury he sustained in the pre-season trial against St George Illawarra but had no doubt he was ready to return.

"I'm running without getting it taped, which is a good sign," he said.

"I can't really feel it at all at the moment. I've been in full training for the past six or seven weeks and I'm excited to be able to hopefully test it out soon with some contact.''

His availability is timely given that in-form Mitch Barnett is likely to miss the season resumption after undergoing neck surgery.

Barnett is already back running and intent on returning ahead of schedule.

"Injuries do happen and I guess it creates an opportunity for me to try and get in there," Mata'utia said.

"Barney's back at training, and he seems to be running pretty well, so he'll be keeping me and the other back-row boys honest."

Mata'utia felt his fitness levels were close to 100 per cent after the six-week period training in isolation.

"We did some testing when we came back and I was pretty similar to before the break," he said.

"I've maintained my fitness, but now we'll be doing a lot of off-the-ground stuff as we transition into getting ready for a game."

He watched Newcastle's 42-24 win against Wests Tigers in round two on TV, so their round-three clash will be his first game in a locked-out stadium.

"Speaking to the boys, they said once you've done the warm-up, you kind of get used to it," he said.

"It might be a little bit weird. I just won't go celebrating if I score a try."