GEELONG forward Daniel Menzel says playing his first senior game in 2016 provided him with the same "amazing" feeling he had when he played two late-season games last year.

The 24-year-old, in just his third senior game in nearly five years, took just six minutes to show his class with a slick handball to Lincoln McCarthy that resulted in a Geelong goal.

It was the start of a satisfying day for Menzel, who said he eventually picked up the pace finishing with 15 disposals, seven marks and a goal.

"It was amazing," he told AFL.com.au.

"To be back in the team and to have another win is a pretty surreal feeling."

Menzel admits it will take time for that feeling to disappear as he adjusts to life as a regular AFL player once again after four knee reconstructions.

"It is something I am not used to yet, but it is something I am very much looking forward to getting used to," Menzel said.

"Hopefully over the next couple of weeks it will just come and I will just be able to play and just be another player and be able to really enjoy my footy."

McCarthy was one of eight Cats who Menzel had never played alongside in a senior game before Sunday, along with Patrick Dangerfield, Zac Smith, Lachie Henderson, Rhys Stanley, Shane Kersten, Josh Caddy and Tom Ruggles.

"A lot of guys came up to me before the game and said, 'I've never played a game with you before'," Menzel said.

"[It's the] first of many, hopefully, with a lot of these guys."

Menzel conceded he was frustrated to not line-up in round one after a calf injury in the first round of the NAB Challenge put him behind the eight-ball.

"It was disappointing not to play, but I just had to go back to the VFL and try to play some pretty good footy and show some leadership back there, which I felt that I did," Menzel said.

"It's just nice to be back in today."