November 2009: Geelong selects South Australian youngster Daniel Menzel with its first pick (no. 17 overall) in the national draft.
August 2010: Menzel makes his AFL debut, at the age of 19, against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium. He finishes the game with 12 disposals and a goal. The Cats win by 101 points.
June 2011: Wins a NAB Rising Star nomination after kicking four goals and gathering 15 disposals in a win over St Kilda at Etihad Stadium.
September 2, 2011: Kicks five goals and gathers 21 disposals as the Cats trounce Collingwood in the last round of the home and away season.
September 9, 2011: After kicking two early goals in the qualifying final against Hawthorn, Menzel's right knee gives way. He soon undergoes his first knee reconstruction.
June 2012: Ruptures the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while playing for Geelong's VFL team against North Ballarat at Simonds Stadium.
December 2012: Seriously injures his left knee again, this time during a pre-season tackling drill. Secretly undergoes LARS surgery before the injury is made public.
April 2013: Menzel's push to be part of Geelong's tilt at the 2013 premiership ends in disaster when he snaps the LARS graft while playing for the Cats' VFL team against Box Hill.
May 2013: Undergoes the first-part of a two-stage reconstruction of his left knee. Screws out from the LARS graft are taken out. The holes are filled in using bone grafts.
August 2013: Menzel undergoes surgery to have a new graft inserted in his left knee.
November 2013: Travels to the United States to work with renowned knee specialist Bill Knowles.
Pre-season 2014: Progress held up by knee tendonitis.
May 2014: Undergoes surgery on his left knee in the hope of clearing up the tendonitis. Is ruled out for the rest of the season.
READ: Menzel keeps himself busy
July 2015: Menzel is cleared to line up in the VFL against Werribee. He is taken out of the game in the quarter after racking up an impressive 17 disposals and 10 clearances.
August 2015: Menzel, who is a couple of weeks shy of his 24th birthday, is selected to make his AFL comeback against Collingwood at the MCG. The game will take place 1450 days since his last AFL game.
