AUSTRALIA fullback Chris Latham said he'd exorcised the demons from his knee reconstruction after making a successful return to rugby yesterday.

The world's best custodian took the first step towards the World Cup in park rugby at Shawsportz, playing the second half for Gold Coast Breakers against Norths-QUT at Kalinga.

It was Latham's first hit-out since undergoing knee surgery after breaking down at Reds training in January.

Wearing jersey No20, the Queensland flyer looked as sharp as ever, scoring a 65th-minute try and foiling a Norths try-scoring chance in his side's 54-12 drubbing. Latham said his comeback carried the type of nerves associated with playing a World Cup final.

"Obviously it's a relief to get it over and done with," he said.

"I came through good. I needed this just to get rid of that fear and know that the strength (in the knee) is there. I know that now and hopefully now it will just be instinct.

"I have never been that nervous in my life. I think it was the thought of my first game back in eight months. It was the apprehension of just hoping that everything held together.

"I didn't want to run on and hobble straight back off again.

"I've got that out of the way and now I can play footy again."

Despite his impressive return, Latham admits he is not ready for a Tri-Nations call-up.

"As much as my heart wants to and as much as my ambitious side of me wants to, at the moment I wouldn't do the (Wallabies) jersey justice," he said.