Geelong AFL premiership player Mathew Stokes says his "silly, stupid and senseless" decision to buy a gram of cocaine shouldn't cast a shadow over his sporting career.

The 25-year-old had faced a potential life ban from football and jail when he was charged with trafficking and possessing cocaine earlier this year.

But last month he walked away without a conviction by pleading guilty to possessing one gram of cocaine while prosecutors agreed to drop the trafficking charge.

The judge in Geelong Magistrates' Court then handed down a 12-month good behaviour bond, paving the way to his return to the AFL this Saturday.

Speaking in detail for the first time about his court troubles, Stokes says he cried for hours upon his arrest and realises now that he put his team, friends and family through hell.

"I just fell apart. I was crying. I was in a bad way," he told the Herald Sun, explaining that his drug purchase was a one-off mistake.

"There is nothing extra to it. I'm not affiliated with any drug lords or bad people. I made one bad mistake and that's all it takes."

Stokes said he bought the cocaine for a friend visiting from Darwin from a bouncer he knew at a Geelong nightclub.

But he didn't think he would face legal troubles even after he found out the bouncer had been arrested.

He said he only had the man's phone number because the bouncer used to let Cats players straight into the busy nightclub if they called him ahead of time.

Police said they first discovered the premiership player's connection to drugs when his name came up in several phone taps.

Stokes said he grew up around drugs in Darwin and knew nothing good came of them.

"I knew that from an early age," he told the newspaper.

He described his decision to buy cocaine as "silly, stupid and senseless".

He will attempt further amends with Cats fans on Thursday when a letter he wrote to Geelong members is expected to be published on the club's website.

"I would just like people to realise that people do make mistakes and one mistake doesn't make you a bad person," he said.

"I don't think one silly decision should define who I am."

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