Shillington volunteered to play for NSW Cup side Mounties on Sunday, churning out 30 minutes in his first match since tearing a pectoral muscle for the fourth time in his career late last season.

The former Queensland Maroon is off contract at the end of 2015 and the battle for front-row positions is stiffer than ever after the rapid emergence of young guns Paul Vaughan and Shannon Boyd.

Shillington's wife, Sonia, is due to give birth to their second child in June, joining daughter Eve who celebrated her first birthday recently.

His desire to get some game time against Wentworthville on Sunday shows how serious Shillington is about continuing the strong late form of last year before injury struck.

The 31-year-old will face the biggest test in his comeback when he plays in Canberra's final trial match against Newcastle at Seiffert Oval on Saturday night.

"I'm very settled down here, hopefully I'll play well and extend beyond this year down here, that'd be nice," Shillington said late last month.

"I'm in a happy place, I've got a second child on the way."

After initial hesitancy to train at 100 per cent in drills, Mounties coach Steve Antonelli said Shillington's physicality appeared to return in the 30-8 win over Wentworthville.

"He went really well. Coming back from his pec injury, I think it was getting minutes under his belt more than anything and getting used to contact," Antonelli said.

"He put his hand up and had plenty of carries. They targeted him a but he was solid throughout and his fitness looked good, too.

"Like any major injury it takes a bit of time to get back into it, this week is the big test for him really."

While chest injuries have repeatedly stalled his momentum, the latest setback was his first time under the knife.

He has his fingers crossed it has resolved the issue for good.

"Hopefully I've put it to bed now and there's no more tears," he said.

"They didn't have much of a choice. The previous times weren't even 50 per cent tears, this was a fully ruptured one but I've done the hard yards now."

Lock Shaun Fensom, who ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in the same game against the Warriors, is also expected to play his first match against the Knights.

"Fenno's looking real sharp, I reckon he'll come back bigger and better from this," Shillington said.

"Avoiding all that pre-season contact [will help him], he does so much during the season he really shouldn't be doing what everyone else is, to be honest.

"We've got so many good players, if we do have a strong start to the year, we'll see heaps of players in rep jerseys I reckon."

SATURDAY

Trial match: Canberra Raiders v Newcastle Knights at Seiffert Oval, 6.30pm

Adult tickets $10, 15 years and under $5