Star St Kilda midfielder Lenny Hayes has made the perfect AFL comeback, throwing his body back into the fray with no ill effects.

He had five disposals in the Saints’ first pre-season game against Sydney on Friday night and then sat out the second.

But Hayes looked fit and displayed his usual courage in the packs as he played against another club for the first time in nearly a year.

The 32-year-old, one of the game’s most respected players, needed a knee reconstruction after the round-two draw with Richmond last season.

“Just getting the power back into the leg, it’s always going to take a bit of time,” Hayes said.

“I couldn’t have asked much more (last night), it was a good blowout.

“It was good to get out there with the guys (and) I enjoyed hitting a few bodies and getting hit myself.”

St Kilda, Geelong and Sydney had a win apiece in Friday night’s 30-plus heat at Etihad Stadium.

The Saints were interesting, as they started their early game against Sydney with a much more attacking game style.

But the Swans were soon scoring freely on the rebound and won by 30 points.

New Saints coach Scott Watters said his men were more circumspect in the late game, where they beat Geelong, and described it as “a good learning night”.

“We were really keen to implement everything in the first half of footy,” Watters said.

“We were 55 per cent for the game inside the front half but our ball use was probably reckless.

“We were 60 per cent play on, which could be a world record.”

St Kilda and Geelong played a lot of youngsters and the Cats’ squad on Friday night only featured nine members of the reigning premiership team.

The Cats also played 29-year-old ruckman Orren Stephenson, who was recruited from North Ballarat in last October’s national draft.

“He’s probably not our future, but he looks pretty good for our present,” said coach Chris Scott.

“On the evidence (of last night), he looks capable of holding down a position in the ruck for at least half a game against reasonable opposition.

“He’s a long way from being a certainty for round one, but he is a chance.”