Richmond midfielder Mark Coughlan expects elite football to have a foreign feel to it by the time he makes a successful comeback to the AFL next month.

Coughlan, 26, hopes to play his first game for the Tigers since midway through the 2006 season in the February 15 pre-season game against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval.

The 2003 best and fairest admitted on Tuesday there were times last year when he thought he might never play again after a shocking run of two knee reconstructions and chronic hamstring problems kept him out of action.

But having strung together some games for Richmond's VFL side late last year, Coughlan is now close to completing his first pre-season in three years and is excited by the prospect of playing senior football again.

Although he was confident he could still perform at the highest level, he admitted to some nerves over how he will adapt to a game that continues to advance.

"I guess it's a bit of an unknown for me, the game has changed a fair bit in three years, and I haven't played since 2006," he said.

"For me it's really exciting, just being able to actually get out there and see how we're going to go about it.

"There are a lot of young guys at the club - (such as) Brett Deledio - that I haven't played a lot of games with, so I'm just excited about maybe getting out with them."

If his comeback is successful, Coughlan will form a key component of the Tigers' hopes in 2009.

Richmond finished just outside the eight last year and with new recruit Ben Cousins in tow, are aiming in 2009 to play their first finals campaign since 2001.

Coughlan was excited by the optimism around the club, and had already benefited from training alongside Cousins.

"It's been good just having him out on the track," he said.

"He doesn't miss too many kicks and he's a bit of a Rolls-Royce out there.

"He's good to listen to and talk to about his days at the Eagles and ... he's a premiership (winning) Brownlow medallist, so it's going to be good having him out there."

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