JOSH Cowan will make his long-awaited return to Geelong's senior team in Friday night's blockbuster clash with Collingwood at the MCG.

It will be the 24-year-old's first match at the highest level since round 18, 2011.

"It's all very exciting," Cowan, who has battled a number of achilles and hamstring problems during the past four years, told CatsTV on Thursday afternoon.

"These are the sort of games you really want to play – big games, big crowd at the MCG. So I'm very excited right now.

"Tomorrow and tonight I guess I'll be very nervous, I just looking forward to. I can't wait for it to start."

Cowan will have endured a gap of 1384 days between AFL matches, which is the second-longest experienced by current AFL players (Fremantle's Anthony Morabito had a 1394-day gap between games).

He will surpass Port Adelaide's Nathan Krakouer, who had 1344 days between his last appearance with Gold Coast and his first match back in the Power team this season.

To watch our full interview with Josh Cowan click on the video player at the top of the page

JOSH COWAN FACT FILE

Recruited from: Daylesford (pick 56 in the 2009 national draft)

Previous AFL games: round 10, 2011, versus Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium (nine disposals and a goal); round 11, 2011, versus Western Bulldogs at Simonds Stadium (11 disposals); round 18, 2011, versus Richmond at Etihad Stadium (10 disposals)

Number of days between his previous AFL game and Friday night's clash with Collingwood: 1384