Painter signed a new contract in May having got back to a state where he could play a couple of games on loan at Champ side Cornish Pirates.
Having had to bide his time over the first block of Prem matches, Painter hopes he can use Exeter’s remaining cup games to begin to stake a claim for a place in the side when league action returns in December.
“For a long time I’ve been watching the other tighthead boys, every single one of them, just level up, level up, level up and they’ve just been going so well,” he added.
“It’s my job to close the gap, and luckily I’ve been getting the opportunity to play.
“With the defeat at the weekend that kind of ‘oh I’m back’ excitement is now parked, it’s now ‘I know what I need to do’, and then from there put myself in a position to play well and then each week see what happens.
“I’ve just got to keep chasing those boys and almost get my old self out and then work on it again because rugby has moved on in two years.
“The way we’ve played has moved on, so I need to catch up quickly.”
