Essendon stars Jobe Watson, Dyson Heppell and Michael Hurley came back on the big stage, celebrating their return from suspension with an emotional win over Hawthorn before a bumper MCG crowd in round one.
Teammates Tom Bellchambers and David Myers had to wait a bit longer, their returns held up by injuries.
Each member of the 'Essendon 34', whose 2016 seasons were wiped out by drug suspensions, has a different story to tell.
Some, like Stewart Crameri and Paddy Ryder, had already switched clubs, one (Michael Hibberd) played his first game back in red and blue, several had been delisted, some retired and would never have to handle a return to the top level. One, in the case of Sam Lonergan, became a playing coach in the Tasmanian Football League.
But of those members of the '34 who are still active AFL players, only one is yet to enjoy his return to the field.
That player is Angus Monfries, who moved to Port Adelaide at end of the 2012 season during which the supplements program was in place at Essendon. This Thursday, when Port Adelaide host Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval, will be 642 days since he played the most recent of his 210 AFL matches.
Now, more than 10 weeks into the new season, 30-year-old Monfries is edging oh-so-close to his return after strong form with the Port Adelaide Magpies in the SANFL.
Former Essendon teammate and now fellow Port clubman Ryder has been back plying his trade in the top flight since the opening round. But Monfries has had to overcome injury setbacks, including off-season shoulder surgery and two hamstring strains, just to get to this point.
Monfries booted three goals and was among the best players in the Magpies' 39-point win over Central District on Saturday.
Friend and former teammate Matthew Lloyd said the supplement saga had been especially difficult for someone like Monfries after switching clubs.
"He's been out of the loop and it was hard for him to get the support. He's often been a forgotten man throughout the supplements saga," Lloyd said.
"He's been a class above at the SANFL as a midfielder who can also play forward.
"It would been fantastic to see him back.
"Other people have probably had more doubts (about him returning) than himself. He's the type of player who can have an impact in the second half of the year."
The clash against the Hawks could be the perfect moment for Monfries. His record against the Hawks is good, boasting 24 goals from 16 matches, including 4.0 in the 2014 preliminary final.
Port's SANFL coach Chad Cornes has indicated that Monfries was close. The small forward's problem, however, was actually a positive for the club overall. The Power only have three players on their injured list, Chad Wingard the most prominent.
"Angus is in conversation along with six or so other guys who are getting spoken about regularly," Cornes said at the weekend. "It will be really interesting to see what Kenny (Hinkley) does with selection this week."
Should Monfries play against Hawthorn it will come after a five-day break. But that's not a scenario that seemed to bother the senior coach.
"Because it's a Thursday night game it's a tight turnaround," Hinkley said after Thursday night's narrow loss to Geelong. "But it's not that a big deal - five days, six days. I don't get lost into how much they do, or don't do. If you're right in the mind, I think you're OK."
