Centre Matt Knight raring to return for Perth Wildcats against Cairns Perth Wildcats big man Matt Knight will make his NBL return on Thursday. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper Source: PerthNow AFTER winning six straight games to start the NBL season, the Perth Wildcats could be forgiven for not wanting to make too many alterations to a successful formula. But welcoming an All-NBL First Team centre back into the fold? That's a change they're more than happy to make. Star centre Matt Knight will return to the court in Thursday night's clash with Cairns at Perth Arena, marking his first game since sustaining an ankle injury that disrupted his pre-season preparation. "Hopefully it's not the first game we lose - my first game back - otherwise I might be back on the sidelines," Knight laughed. The team's playing really well right now. The team chemistry is great, and that's the one thing I'm trying to work on - just slotting into this side. With the Cats enjoying a 13-day break between games, coach Trevor Gleeson and his staff have had plenty of time to help Knight get accustomed to new teammates and plays - as well as return to full fitness. "I'm still trying to get my legs back - I went eight weeks without running," Knight said. Each session I'm getting more used to playing with these guys. Obviously I'm about two months behind as Trev said, so I've got a lot of catching up to do. But I feel like each session I'm getting more confident with being out on the court with those guys. Knight will likely have a reduced workload for the Taipans clash, with reserve centre Tom Jervis proving a more than capable replacement through the first half-dozen games of his NBL career. Cairns boasts one of the best rebounding frontcourts in the league, with Cam Tragardh, Alex Loughton, Stephen Weigh and Matt Burston set to present a tough challenge for the unbeaten Cats. The Taipans have dropped their past three games after opening the season with back-to-back wins.