Two-hundred and 94 days.

One-hundred and 35 days.

These are the three numbers that shaped Rebekah Stott's journey back to the game she loved for Melbourne City.

The first reflects the number of days since her last professional game, the second recognises the day she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and the third marks how long she has been in remission.

It all amounted to a fairytale return to the pitch for the Kiwi-midfielder on Friday - 60 minutes, three points and a new club record with 63 caps.

Stott played 60 minutes in City's 1-0 win over Canberra United, some nine months after her cancer diagnosis, and four month chemotherapy battle.

"It's a huge moment for me personally, and I was just so happy to be back on the field and be healthy," she said.

"It's been a really hard journey for me to get where I am now. Each week it's something new, it's my calf, my hamstring. So that's been a really big struggle for me, but I'm finally at a point where I can play a decent amount of time.

"So I'm just looking to build on that and really take care of my body because it's so different to before.

"It's huge to have someone go through what they've been through and be able to get back to their profession and do it, I guess, successfully. I think it will be a huge inspiration. A lot of people can see that and think, 'Yeah, I'm gonna beat it and then get back on the field or get back to doing what I love'."

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Stott became City's outright all-time women's appearance leader at Viking Park, after recording 63 caps and pulling ahead of her good-friend Steph Catley.

Despite having to cut her time short with Brighton and Hove Albion in England's WSL in February, her focus remains on her health, City and winning the ALW championship.

She said her aspirations were 100 per cent focused on City, not on international leagues, and getting back into the New Zealand Ferns side.

"I'm here for the season. We're going to do the best we can and my goal is to win championship again," she said.

"It's so cool to be back in a team environment and feel that camaraderie. The football community has been amazing. Everyone's got around me.

"I was trying to get into the last [Ferns] tour, but it was a bit too soon. So hopefully the next one in February I'll be ready but ... 2023 [World Cup] is such a huge motivator for me."

Although City had to travel to the capital for Stott's first game back, there was a familiar face on the sideline in green for Stott.

During her playing days at Melbourne Victory, Stott was coached by United's Vicki Linton in 2011-12.

Canberra's head coach said she still checked in with her former player every now and then.

"It's just so wonderful to see," she said.

"She hasn't built up to full fitness yet, but just to see her play; she's been so courageous, so inspirational, and just so positive in her fight over cancer, and to see her in remission and back playing at this level.

"She's a wonderful person and a great footballer. She's someone I would always have in my team."