GEELONG forward Tom Lonergan admitted he was keen to avoid body contact in his AFL comeback, for fears he might suffer another freak injury.

Lonergan made a triumphant return to the highest stage by booting two goals in the Cats' 56-point win over Carlton at Telstra Dome, having last played late in 2006 when he was crunched by Melbourne's Brad Green and had to have a kidney removed.

Lonergan said the injury had given him a new perspective on life, but also made him think twice about backing into packs on the football field.

"You try to rely on your instincts a little bit, but if you're under a long ball where you've got to back back I guess maybe I'd get front and square because I didn't want to go through the same thing again," he said.

"But in saying that, I've got to rely on my instincts and if you go in half-hearted you're probably going to get [hurt] more."

Lonergan booted three behinds in the first half, but then raised a fist in joy and was mobbed by teammates after booting a goal in the third quarter.

Although he was always keen to resume playing after he overcame his injury, the 24-year-old admitted he would probably always think about that defining moment.

"I try to look at it as a bit of a freak thing, but it will always be in the back of your mind," he said.

While Lonergan did not play in Geelong's 2007 premiership campaign, he provided one of the year's feel-good stories by returning to play in the club's VFL premiership victory.

On Saturday he got the call to play when Cameron Mooney withdrew with a shoulder problem, and was relieved to get the new start out of the way.

"It's been a year-and-a-half, almost two years, since I've played senior footy, so playing with these guys was almost like a new experience," he said.

"I'm a bit tired because it was running through my mind ... I'm relieved it's all over."