Returning Essendon player Travis Colyer says he felt like an 18-year-old again walking into the club for the first time in 12 months upon his return.
Colyer was one of 34 current and former Bombers suspended for one-year for his part in the club's 2012 supplements program.
The 25-year-old, who has played 57 games, said he did not know what to expect walking into what felt like a new environment after a year out of the game.
โIt was almost a little bit like that feeling, not really knowing what to expect because itโs a new environment with a new coach (John Worsfold), although obviously we had him for a little bit (before being banned),โ Colyer said on SEN Radio on Friday morning.
โIt was a little bit nerve-racking but the support that weโve had from not just the staff and the football department, but the fans as well has been overwhelming.โ
Despite the difficult circumstances surrounding his 12 months off, Colyer said his time away from the game helped "reinvigorate" him leading into the 2017 season.
โFootball is such an intense and consuming environment, any opportunity you can get to have some time away, not in the circumstances that you want, but itโs definitely reinvigorated me,โ he said.
โMy next development is hopefully to play a little bit more inside mid. Iโve been working hard on my stoppage craft."
