CARLTON captain Marc Murphy is set to line up in his first game of AFL since round 10 last year after recovering from an ankle injury.

Murphy, 29, suffered syndesmosis in his right ankle against Geelong last season and after opting not to have surgery, did not return for the rest of the season.

Blues football manager Andrew McKay told News Corp the captain had been in full training throughout the whole pre-season and would face Melbourne on Saturday afternoon at Casey Fields in the club's opening JLT Series match.

"He missed such a big chunk of last year — basically the whole second half of last year — but if the season went a week or two longer, he would have played," McKay said.

"But it has meant that he has had a great pre-season. He has been uninhibited the whole pre-season."