Devon Smith admits it felt strange to tackle some of his mates into submission, having played a key role in Essendon's 35-point win over former AFL club Greater Western Sydney.
Smith requested a trade to the Bombers after the 2017 season, craving more time in the midfield but also more games after he was overlooked for all three of the Giants' finals.
The 25-year-old was outstanding in his first outing against GWS, harassing them with a game-high 13 tackles while helping himself to 21 disposals and a goal.
There was no shortage of banter during the Spotless Stadium showdown.
Smith let Adam Tomlinson know all about a costly 50m penalty the GWS defender gave away in the last quarter, while he pointed to the scoreboard after a later scrap with Aidan Corr.
"Today was a long day, waiting," Smith told ABC Radio.
"There's mixed emotions.
"It was my birthday this week (last Sunday) and I got a few messages with boys saying 'happy birthday, I hope you're sore'. There was a bit of banter.
"Hopefully I'll bump into a few boys tonight and maybe have a quiet beer.
"It was strange, but I really enjoyed it."
Essendon coach John Worsfold for full of praise for how Smith handled an occasion that can sometimes unsettle players.
"Dev doesn't lack in confidence, so I think he was on one hand really excited about coming up here and playing," Worsfold said.
"But he played the way he has been playing for us. He's brought a lot of intensity, pressure, hard run and speed.
"He did that again tonight. He wasn't overawed by playing against his mates or anything like that. He was very focused.
"He was very controlled tonight. He loves a contest but that's just a natural part of his game."
