The 23-year-old midfielder, who had a brilliant start to the season, returns to the Bloods' senior line up for the showdown against the unbeaten Warrnambool at Reid Oval today.

A month holidaying in Europe is hardly the ideal preparation for the contest - unless you have McKenzie's dedication.

McKenzie, who went to a cousin's wedding in Switzerland late last month, took advantage of the European summer and stunning scenery through Austria, France, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom to keep in shape for a late-season surge.

He revealed he had run every second day while on "holidays".

"I was able to maintain my fitness," he said.

"My favourite (run) was through the Rhine Valley, through the vineyards and I saw a few deers in the wild.

"I enjoyed going for a run around, it was the middle of the summer. There are not many flat areas so I tried to make the most of the hills, there were a lot of old castles along the way too."

McKenzie, who is studying to become a secondary school teacher, said he had kept abreast of his team mates' form and the development of his younger brother Jordie, a midfielder at AFL club Melbourne.

"I was pretty keen to get the scores, I just jumped on the internet as soon as I could.

"I was pretty confident in them."

McKenzie, who had been unable to squeeze a footy in his suitacse for the trip, had no trouble regaining touch last week with a dominant display in the reserves alongside another quality midfielder Pat Heffernan, who also returns to the top-grade today.

McKenzie described his start to the season, which won him selection in Hampden's representative team, as the best of his short career.

"I was feeling pretty good and my fitness was up," he said.

Today he will be expected to provide drive off half-back and the wing as the Bloods hope to end a four-game losing streak against the Blues.

"I just want to provide some run," he said.

Against Warrnambool, a team renowned for its midfield pressure, he will get plenty of opportunities to do that. It's just that today's run and the Reid Oval scenery will be a long way from what he experienced in the Rhine Valley.