FORGOTTEN Geelong rookie Cam Delaney is set to play his first game for more than a year when he takes to the field for the Cats' VFL team at Simonds Stadium on Saturday.

The 23-year-old defender played six games in four seasons with North Melbourne but only managed two VFL games in 2014 after struggling with foot and toe problems since he last played senior football in round 18, 2013.

The Kangaroos were set to take him as a rookie but Geelong pounced on the Grovedale product at selection No.29, one place ahead of North.

Geelong physiotherapist Mark Young told CatsTV that the club had set the bar high for Delaney to give him the best chance of success when he finally returned. 

"He has had to complete a full month of training [with] several weeks of running," Young said. 

"It was important he was confident in his body but he is all set to make his debut for the Cats this weekend."

Geelong has welcomed back Daniel Menzel, Josh Cowan and Nathan Vardy to the VFL after they spent significant time on the long-term injury list in the past month. 

Their short injury list is in stark contrast to the middle of the season when the senior team was struggling for fit players. 

Young said the Cats were confident Delaney would perform well on Saturday against the Box Hill Hawks. 

"We're as confident as we can be," Young said.

"There is always an element of unknown when you are playing a game for the first time but we have exposed him to a decent block of training and we are confident he'll go well on the weekend."