WHILE he won’t be out there alongside him on Friday night, few will be happier than Jacob Weitering when Caleb Marchbank runs out for his first game in three years this round.

Witnessing first-hand the setbacks endured and the resilience displayed, Weitering comes out of the team which Marchbank comes into, ending a 1,069-day wait in the process.

The scenes which unfolded at IKON Park on Tuesday night said it all when it came to the stature which Marchbank holds amongst the playing group given his long road back.

Weitering was joined by a number of teammates at Frankston on the Saturday night when Marchbank made his return, and he’ll be watching intently on Friday night from the MCG when his teammate runs out for a long-awaited 49th game.

“I’m really looking forward to watching him on Friday night: it’s going to be an awesome atmosphere for him,” Weitering said on SEN’s Whateley.

“It was 2019 which was his last game of football — he has been put through the ringer. He’s had some strange injuries: a neck injury, knee, ankle and it’s been consistent.

“Half the group went down to Frankston to watch him and the other half watched on livestream. It’s a really exciting time.”

13:14

Weitering on 'next-man-up' philosophy

Jacob Weitering spoke to Gerard Whateley on SEN about how he is recovering from shoulder surgery as well as how the 'next-man-up' mentality is working in the backline.

Weitering echoed and expanded on the Tuesday night sentiments of Michael Voss, after the AFL Senior Coach said Marchbank’s return was another seminal moment for a connected playing group.

The co-vice captain was in action for the returns of Charlie Curnow and Sam Docherty, and one expects the pride to be just as prominent when his locker neighbour takes on the arch rival.

“We’ve had guys coming back across the year like Sam Docherty in Round 1 and like Charlie Curnow coming in, who’s having a super season and it’s like he never left,” he said.

“It’s a really exciting time to get guys like that… Caleb is in that same boat.

“Caleb himself is a very resilient individual. He’s done three years in rehab and has done an awesome job to get to where he is.

“Now, we’ve got to support him and make sure he’s confident to go out and do a job for the Club this week.”