Olympic bronze medallist Geoff Huegill has returned to the pool in a bid to make the Australian Commonwealth Games squad in 2010.

The 29-year-old has just started training with coach Grant Stoelwinder's new elite squad at the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre in inner-Sydney.

The high profile butterflyer last represented Australia at the 2004 Athens Olympics and won bronze in the 100m event in Sydney in 2000, before retiring two years ago.

Huegill's manager, Ian Hanson, said the decision to re-launch his swimming career came after Huegill started having "bit of a paddle" at Sydney University this year.

"It was to get back into fitness and to start getting back into the water," Hanson said.

Huegill re-registered with Swimming Australia in January and last week joined Stoelwinder's newly assembled super squad as a trial member.

"[It's] to see how he goes up until the Australian Championships in March," Hanson said.

His training buddies now include Libby Trickett, Eamon Sullivan and Andrew Lauterstein, who won bronze at Beijing in Huegill's former pet event, the 100m butterfly.

Huegill is said to have lost up to 30kg to make this comeback. He has spoken publicly before about putting on weight after a year-long backpacking tour following his retirement.

The former world champion was arrested in Brisbane last year after jumping a taxi queue in nightclub precinct Fortitude Valley.