The 29-year old, 163-game player for Melbourne and Fremantle said he harboured no ill-feeling towards the Dockers, and was grateful for the chance to move west last season.

“(AFL football) wasn’t making me happy, and if it’s not making you happy, why do it?” Sylvia said.

“I knew it was the right time for me to move on, and I’m going to enjoy playing footy, hopefully, for the next five or so years, with mates and people that have been involved with me over the journey.”

Sylvia hopes to recapture his “passion” for football when he makes his much-anticipated homecoming for Merbein, where he grew up, in the Sunraysia league this weekend.

He has committed to a minimum of three games for the Magpies, but may appear in as many as six and possibly finals.

Sylvia played in Merbein’s 2002 flag as a 16-year-old, before he was selected by Melbourne with pick No. 3 in 2003.

Sylvia said his return to Merbein was significant to him.

“It’s where it all begun for me,” he said. “It was a pretty easy decision in the end to go back and play some games … it’s important for me to give back to the club.”

Merbein resided at the bottom of the Sunraysia league ladder the past two seasons.

But following the recruitment of Essendon VFL captain Ben Duscher and new coach Peter Johns in the off-season, the Magpies have shot out of the blocks this year with four wins and two losses so far.

Club president Toney Hurley said he hoped Sylvia’s return — however long — would plant the seeds for a reprisal of the club’s glory days.

“Col wants to grow the club. We realise we’re probably not going to achieve the ultimate this season, but that’s the direction the club wants to go,” Hurley said.

Sylvia tuned up for his return last weekend, playing a one-off for Templestowe in the Eastern Football League.

He will take Merbein’s junior and senior groups for training tonight, before tackling ladder leader Imperials on Saturday.