MITCH Clark will play his first game since round 4, 2013 when he makes his debut in Geelong colours against Gold Coast in the NAB Challenge in Townsville.

Cats coach Chris Scott said on Monday that Clark was unlikely to play much more than half the game against the Suns, but that amount of football would be less than he had been doing during training.

"He'll be managed. We haven't even worked out exactly how that is going to play out across the course of the NAB [Challenge]. A fair bit will have to do with how he plays this week ... we will be cautious early on," Scott said.

Clark retired from the game midway through last season after being diagnosed with clinical depression. He had endured a series of soft-tissue injuries as he recovered from a foot injury suffered in 2012, midway through his first year with Melbourne.

He was traded to Geelong in the off-season and has had a relatively injury-free pre-season with a minor calf injury setting him back slightly around Christmas

Scott said the club recruited Clark mainly as a forward but he could play either forward or ruck, depending on form and the availability of others.