HISTORY and personal experience tells Cam Mooney that it only takes the slightest twist of football fate to go from feather duster to rooster.

Dropped for the 1999 preliminary final, Mooney was recalled for the grand final when Jason McCartney was suspended and he collected a premiership medal in North Melbourne’s triumph over Carlton.

Now trying to regain form and fitness in Geelong’s VFL team, Mooney knows he has a fair way to go before playing AFL football again, but he knows after 1999 to never to say never.

“I was dropped for the prelim and a week later I was playing in a premiership,” Mooney said. “Things can change very quickly.”

Right now the odds of Mooney playing in one more premiership in his last AFL season are fairly long - a fact he readily admits and accepts - and he has no complaint about that.

But there is always the chance - either through injury, suspension or his own good form - Mooney will break back into Geelong’s finals-bound AFL line-up before season’s end.

With five goals in the VFL team’s win over Frankston last weekend, Mooney showed the positive signs of a man on the way back to where he and the Geelong coaching staff wants him to be.

“It was ok,” Mooney said of his performance. “It was only a good half to be honest. I got through it and ticked all the boxes in the game and that was the main thing.

“I still believe I’m not where I need to be to play AFL football. I’ve still got a bit of work to do with my fitness and confidence in the body that it will do what I want it to do.”

When Mooney, who has played just five AFL games this season for a career tally of 218, recently embarked on a VFL stint designed at preparing him for a push into selection calculations as the Cats head towards the finals.

There was some expectation that Mooney would use that VFL stint to actually decide between pursuing a senior place or immediate retirement, but the veteran forward is determined to finish out the season come what may.

“I gave myself a month to see where I was at and after that month, if I can’t run or jump or do anything, I would stop and that’s probably more what I was talking about,” Mooney said.

“I’ve probably got a couple of more weeks to get my fitness up, but the aim is to play to the end of the season. Fingers crossed we’ll get to the end of the year.”

Indeed, the idea of playing VFL football was not appealing to Mooney, but the time spent with the young players and the grassroots feel of the games has actually rejuvenated the three-time premiership player.

“Playing with the young boys is good,” Mooney said. “I’m really enjoying it and having a lot of fun to be honest. At the start of the year I said to (Geelong coach Chris Scott) I didn’t really want to go back to play VFL, but I’m glad I am now because I’m really enjoying the time with the young guys and working with them a bit.”