Geelong's Tom Lonergan is a relieved man, as much for making it through the wave of public attention and well wishes that accompanied his football comeback as for making it through the game itself.

The 23-year-old Cats' big man played for Geelong's VFL side on Sunday, his first game since suffering a horrific injury while playing for the senior side in round 21 last season.

The injury, sustained in just his seventh senior game, required him to have a kidney removed and also be placed in an induced coma, making it a remarkable effort to return to the game.

But Lonergan himself downplayed the achievement, saying he was just relieved to have the milestone over.

"It's a big relief, just the build-up towards it has just been massive, everyone's just been ringing, I had to switch the phone off last night," he said.

"It's good to get it over and now I can just concentrate on getting some form."

His parents were part of the crowd cheering him on, along with Geelong's senior players, who turned up early enough to watch him in the curtain-raiser ahead of their match against Brisbane.

Geelong president Frank Costa was among those to laud Lonergan's bravery in returning to the football field.

"The courage that he has shown to play again and to do the work to get back on the field is an inspiration to everyone," Costa said.

"I was watching him running out before, taking marks, passing the ball, it's just a fantastic effort to get from where he was less than a year ago, when he was on death's door to where he was able to run out here at this level and perform."

But Lonergan himself said he did not consider it such an achievement.

"I think other people think it's a bigger achievement than I do," he said.

"I was just doing what I do, I didn't really think too much about it, although it was a pretty big deal."

He played the last half of each quarter, playing as a key forward and ended the game with five marks, 10 disposals and one behind, with some other shots failing to register a score.

Geelong won the match 14.14 (98) to 3.8 (26).

Lonergan said he had not felt any fear and there had been no nervous moments once he settled into the game.

"I was a bit nervous for a start before the game, but once I got out there I was sweet," he said.

"The first quarter I was a little bit nervous still, but during the game it just started to get easier and easier and I worked my way back into it."

He said once he got his hands on the ball for the first time it started to feel like any other game.

"Once you get out there your instincts take over and you just play the game and everything else goes out the window," he said.

Having been placed on the Cats' rookie list, he said he had no timeline on a possible senior return, with his main goal for this season simply to find some form in the VFL.

"The aim is for the first couple of weeks to just find my way around the footy ground and then hopefully build some form up like I was playing in the VFL last year and put my name up there," he said.

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