ROBERT Murphy has declared himself ready to line up in the Western Bulldogs' season opener on Sunday, after a speedy recovery from a nasty elbow injury.

The veteran Bulldog, who will play his 250th game for the club against the Eagles, was set to miss up to two months after suffering the injury at training at the start of February.

But after avoiding surgery the 31-year-old has made a quicker than expected return and played in last week's intra-club, priming himself for a round one berth at Patersons Stadium.

"I'm surprised how well it has recovered but it's fully healed," Murphy told Fox Footy on Monday.

"I got through [the intra-club] OK."

Murphy reaches his milestone healthy and, perhaps as importantly, confident in the club's direction after an encouraging finish to last season.

"We got a roll on and I feel as fit as I ever have," Murphy said.

The Bulldogs won four of their last six games to end 2013. Although reluctant to project his side as finalists this season, Murphy was sure they had improved since last year under coach Brendan McCartney.

"I think there's definitely an upward spiral," he said. 

"As a playing group we embraced Brendan's vision right from the start and I was always very confident of the long-term plan, in the back of my mind thinking: 'Would I be around for it?'

"Halfway through last year you do start to wonder [that] you'd like to see more results.

"So that was really pleasing in the second half of the year and out on the ground it started to feel good again and it hadn't felt like that for a while."