While she might get on for a quarter later in the match if the result is beyond doubt, it is hard to imagine her bumping Irene van Dyk or Maria Tutaia for a starting spot.
Tuki made two appearances off the bench for the Steel before transferring to the Magic this season.
She knew her court time would be limited, but the chance to play alongside van Dyk and Tutaia was too good an opportunity to miss.
"I've looked at this year as more of a development year," she said. "But I'm also going to take my chances if I get them.
"Noels [Magic coach Noeline Taurua] has shown she has faith in me and has put me out there a couple of times. So I've just got to work hard at training and prove myself, I guess."
Tuki got on for the final quarter in the Magic's 63-45 win over the New South Wales Swifts and shot well, landing four of her five attempts.
Her next opportunity came against the Tactix.
She played the second half and scored eight of her 14 attempts.
It was a disappointing return and far from the standard needed to oust van Dyk or Tutaia.
Van Dyk has been superb again this season.
She is the ANZ Championship's leading shooter with 240 goals from 255 attempts, and in three games against the Steel has not missed a single shot on goal.
Tutaia has been steady, with 107 from 135, and back-up shooter Halana Leith made the most of her sole opportunity with 10 from 11.
While Tuki has ambitious netball goals, including regaining her spot in the Silver Ferns, she decided to devote more energy to her studies this year.
Tuki has transferred from the University of Otago to the University of Waikato and is in her third year of a commerce degree.
She is studying full-time this semester, rather than doing one or two papers as she has done during past netball seasons.
The former Otago Rebel is flatting with Casey Williams in Hamilton East.
Williams owns the house and Tuki said her living arrangements differed dramatically from her flatting experience in Dunedin. Life is quieter.
"I didn't know anyone up here apart from all the netball girls. So I don't have that life outside of netball that I had down there."
Surprisingly, Tuki is not playing club netball.
With her study and Magic commitments there is little time for anything else.
But training, and the little court time she has had, is keeping her sharp, she said.
The Magic-Steel clash has turned into an unofficial trial in recent years, with both sides boasting eight past or present Silver Ferns.
The Hamilton-based side beat the Steel 54-47 in round two but the southern team is coming off back-to-back wins against the Mystics and Tactix.
Tuki said there was little difference in the way the teams approached their work.
"It is pretty much the same wherever you go. Everyone is determined to win, everyone is competitive and everyone pushes hard at training."
