Crankt Protein Honda Racing’s Todd Waters earned his first podium since round three at Port Macquarie’s ninth stop of the 2017 Motul MX Nationals series last weekend.

The experienced Queenslander lodged a 4-2 scorecard for second overall, signifying a return to form for the number 47, who’s pinpointed it down to a recent week of extensive testing and development with the CRF450R.

“We put in a good week down in Melbourne and got a good setup on the bikes – both Luke [Clout] and I,” Waters explained to MotoOnline.com.au. “We felt pretty comfortable, so that obviously brings along a bit of confidence. It was good, and for the team it awesome to have both of us on the podium.

“I still have a lot of work to do, I’m just not my old self – so I’m pushing, I’ve got myself in a bit of a rut. But I’m on the up, today was a good result, but I still have a lot left – I’ve been getting very frustrated with it – it feels like I’m banging my head against the wall.”

Currently fourth in the championship standings, Waters is eager to maintain his current wave of momentum into the final two rounds as he aims to complete the year within the top three.

“We’re aiming for that [top three],” he continued. “If you’re not winning, you’re always aiming for the guy ahead of you. That’s our main focus and we’ll keep chipping away. I know if I’m riding the way I ride during the week, then I’ll be up there. That’s the biggest thing for me this year, there’s just a lot of factors that aren’t lining up.”

The next round of the Motul MX Nationals is scheduled for 13 August, at the challenging Toowomba circuit in Queensland.