HARLEY Bennell had a moment for Peel during the second quarter at Bendigo Bank Stadium on Saturday that was far more telling than his restricted match time and limited touches.

Scything through a pack on the wing, Bennell jinked and weaved in heavy traffic in a fashion he displayed numerous times during 81 matches for Gold Coast. The power and agility in his legs was evident and there was no sign of the calf problems that have ruined his time at Fremantle.

“It is good it is still there,” Bennell said.

“I feel I haven’t lost my touch.”

Limited to about 15 minutes as a deep forward in each of the first three terms before an early finish in the last, Bennell chafed at the restriction, but recognised his long-term injury problems warranted a cautious comeback.

“I feel I am getting back to my best but they are holding me back,” he said.

“Growing up I always hated being told what to do on the field but when I have to stop I have to stop. The numbers showed I am still capable of running the game out, but I got stopped in the last quarter.”

Bennell had little impact in Peel’s loss — a mark and handball in the first term, a kick and handball in the second, and just two touches in the last — as Subiaco’s Angus Litherland applied a tight clamp.

But the 24-year-old’s main goal was to get through his second match in as many weeks after spending nearly two full seasons on the sidelines amid a series of off-field dramas.

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“In life you have your ups and downs,” he said. “I am looking forward to the future.”

Bennell was was clear about the joy of playing once again.

“The calf is feeling great, my mind is feeling great and it is good to be back out on the park,” he said. “We will take it week-by-week, I will be assessed on Monday, but there is no time bracket on when I will be back.

“I love football and the support I’ve had from Ross (Lyon) and my family and the boys around the football club has been good. It was good running out with the boys. It is good to be playing football full stop.”