PIRATES star Davey Watt admits he will need plenty of track time before rediscovering his A game on the shale.

The experienced Aussie is yet to turn out for Poole in a league fixture this season having suffered a broken left foot and damaged ankle ligaments in a pairs meeting at Krakow at the end of last month.

However, following intensive treatment, Watt returned to action for Krakow on Sunday and scored seven points in a 49-41 defeat to Daugavpils.

The 37-year-old is not eligible to return for Pirates at home to Belle Vue this evening (7.30pm) as the minimum 28-day deal of his temporary replacement, Josh Grajczonek, has yet to be completed.

However, Watt is line to return at Wolverhampton on Monday.

He told the Daily Echo: "I had run out of steam by the fifth race the other day so I'm not race fit yet.

"If I hadn't been injured then I would have been pretty unhappy but as it was, I was happy. I need to accept that I have some catching up to do.

"I worked quite hard in the gym during the winter and I think that played its part in helping me get back quickly. No amount of training is going to help a broken bone but general fitness kept the rest of me feeling good.

"There's no training you can do that's the same as riding. You can't train certain muscles to handle sitting a bike, it just doesn't work like that.

"It's hard work to play catch-up but that's what I've got to do and it doesn't really faze me.

"I go out expecting myself to score double figures and if that doesn't happen for a little while then I probably need to accept that.

"But I'm not aiming low, that's for sure. I'm going to be aiming high right from the start and expecting big things of myself."

Promoter Matt Ford welcomed Watt's return and backed the Queenslander to swiftly hit top form.

Ford said: "There was a fear that the injury could have been longer than four to six weeks but we're pleased that it didn't turn out that way.

"He's got to play catch-up on the rest of the lads but he's experienced enough to know what he's doing."

Meanwhile, skipper Maciej Janowski is set to miss at least two further Pirates meetings due to an ongoing knee problem.

The Pole has been told to take 10 days out by doctors but may return for the home clash with Wolverhampton a week today.

Lakeside’s Richard Lawson will again guest in Janowski’s absence for the visit of the Aces.

PIRATES: (from) Chris Holder, Josh Grajczonek, Dakota North, Kacper Gomolski, Richard Lawson (guest), Kyle Newman, Paul Starke.

ACES: (from) Craig Cook, Max Fricke, Scott Nicholls, Richie Worrall (guest), Matej Zagar, Stefan Nielsen, Steve Worrall.