There are no prizes for guessing what was running through Dyson Heppell's head.
The AFL captain's media session was done early on Thursday afternoon and everyone had either left the MCG or was packing up.
But a solitary figure, instantly recognisable in his playing gear and sporting that shock of blond hair, walked around the middle of the ground for a couple of minutes.
The next time the new Essendon captain is out there, it will be the round-one AFL blockbuster on Saturday night, March 25, against their fierce rivals Hawthorn.
After a year out because of his doping suspension, Heppell will officially be an AFL player again.
An Essendon official looked out at Heppell walking around the MCG, smiled and said quietly "Dyson is pumped".
Heppell is among 10 Essendon players returning from their doping bans, which stem from the club's 2011-12 supplements debacle.
"I can't wait to get back out here - it's a great vibe at the club at the moment and a great amount of optimism as well," Heppell had said earlier.
Heppell was asked if this is the most excited he has felt in his AFL career.
"It's a fair call - coming back in after that 12 months off, it nearly felt like (I was) a new draftee again," he said.
"It was just really exciting to train, get around the boys, catch up with the staff again.
"I am really excited and we are in a really healthy space with where the list is at.
"You like to keep a lid on things, but it's exciting to know we can do something special."
Their hopes of doing something special in round one against the Hawks were boosted when Luke Hodge was ruled out because of a club suspension.
"A bit of locker room banter going around, saying it's pretty handy for us," Heppell said.
"Look, they obviously have a fantastic outfit and can cover a lot of their good players.
"Their list is quite deep and it's going to be a great challenge for us."
But above all else, Heppell and his returning teammates no longer have the anti-doping process hanging over their heads.
"It really does feel like clean air now," he said.
"Throughout that last period of our time at the club, it was like everything that came out was riding on a decision.
"It did sink in quite a bit and a lot of stuff hurt.
"But now it's whatever comes out, it has no bearing on us and the club as a whole, really."
