Eight tries and 20 goals in the past five games has rocketed the goal-kicking winger up to second on the NRL pointscoring table, with a total of 122 points (nine tries and 43 goals). More importantly, his return to form should make an impact on the Sharks' powerbrokers come time to finalise contracts.

The Sharks have little room to move in the salary cap following their signing of Roosters Test forward Anthony Tupou and former Dragons international, Trent Barrett (from Wigan), along with increased payments to captain and Origin rep, Paul Gallen.

But yesterday Covell was right in the mix as Sharks boss Tony Zappia and coach Ricky Stuart examined the Sharks' player roster for 2009 onwards.

``We hope to sort something out definite over the next week ... Luke certainly is one of our many players in vintage form at the moment,'' Zappia said yesterday. Covell revealed a mis-diagnosis by a specialist proved costly, after his tricep was torn off the bone in the opening minutes of last year's New Zealand Test against Australia.

Not only did he miss the Kiwi's tour of Great Britain and France, he lost about a month before an operation was ordered by a second specialist. He wasn't expected to play until round six, Covell instead made the first round but then took time to find his form, both in general play and goal-kicking.

Stuart dropped him for the game against the Bulldogs, but since then he's been one of his team's best. His 20-point haul on Monday featured two great tries, including a trademark leap above his opposite to plant the ball down centimetres inside the corner-post. With his kicking boots well and truly back on, Covell converted all six tries the Sharks scored.

Covell said he wanted to stay with the Sharks if at all possible, as does fellow winger Misi Taulapapa, who is also off contract.

Now with 24 points through 16 rounds Covell's Sharks see themselves in third place, behind just Manly and the Roosters on for-and-against, with the bye this week and a top-of-the-table clash with Manly at Toyota Stadium, Saturday week.