On loan from AZ until the end of the season with a view to a possible permanent move, the striker made his first senior starting appearance for any club since early 2013 in PEC's 3-2 loss at ASO Den Haag.
Having come off the bench against Go Ahead Eagles the previous week, Babalj can see the light again, admitting: "I thought I had become the forgotten man. My last start for a club was with Melbourne Heart (in March 2013).
"Football is weird, it can turn around in one day – at the moment just thinking about next week’s game against Vitesse. You miss playing in big games like this. I feel like a kid again.
"It's good to show people I am still alive. I felt good in playing 85 minutes against Den Haag. I felt comfortable and didn’t feel I was lagging. It showed me I can play at this level.
"The more time I get, the quicker I will run into form and be able to offer more. It’s not easy being out for so long.
"The last time I was playing regularly was in the A-League and now I am in the Eredivisie, which is a big step."
After an ill-fated spell with Red Star Belgrade, Babalj was sold back to Heart but then moved again when AZ came calling, only to suffer a ruptured adducter tendon and hernia almost as soon as he arrived at the club.
Surgery ruled him out for six months and after returning for the reserves as a regular goalscorer he suffered another setback with a second hernia operation sidelining him again.
"I came to PEC to replace (fellow striker) Thomas Necid, who was meant to be going to Juventus but that deal fell through and he's still here," he said.
"But the coach (Ron Jans) has said his being here doesn't change anything and they still want me. Even if I get five minutes, that's something to build on.
"This is a fresh start for me at a club doing well. After not playing for so long it's about getting as many minutes as I can and getting that sharpness and momentum back."
Having long-time friend and Socceroos defender Trent Saintsury as a teammate is a bonus for Babalj, with the pair first playing together at the age of 13 in WA youth ranks, before moving on to Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. They were also teammates with the Joeys and Young Socceroos.
"Trent's a top player and has gone to another level since coming to Holland and you saw that at the Asian Cup," added Babalj.
Sainsbury was on the bench against Den Haag, but only because of post-Asian Cup fatigue.
"He wasn’t feeling 100 per cent and to be fair, the Asian Cup took a lot out of him," explained Babalj. "He played a lot of big games and has been a bit run down."
On his future, Babalj added: "I am here till the end of the season and I will do everything to help the team and just enjoy football again, which hasn' been the case for the last two years.
"It's been frustrating but right now physically, I have never felt better."
"I was on the bench a few times at AZ but never got any minutes, which was just the way it worked out."
