RELIEF was Bulldog forward Robert Murphy's main emotion after he got through Thursday night's training session at TIO Stadium in Darwin.

Overcoming a hamstring injury that had sidelined him for three weeks, Murphy was named by the Dogs for Saturday night's clash with Port Adelaide.

The 27-year-old said he was particularly pleased to earn an immediate recall to the senior side given the positive performances of his teammates.

"Three weeks felt like about 10, so it's nice to be back," Murphy told westernbulldogs.com.au after the hour-long session.

"Games are hard enough to miss as a player, so to miss that one and then with the way we've been playing, I thought for a little while there might not be a spot for me because the boys were starting to build something.

"I'm fortunate to be back and hopefully I can do my bit."

Murphy had been selected to play Richmond last Friday night but pulled out at the last minute because of lingering tightness.

"I was really close last week actually," he confirmed. "I was right on the edge and if it was a final, I probably would have played.

"With hamstrings, the old 21 days was it – so I missed.

"It wasn't a really bad hamstring but I was still a bit tight last week so we thought to wait another one."

He said his rehab plan for the strain – to the sheaf surrounding the muscle rather than the muscle itself – was always geared for a Darwin return.

Over the past two weeks, Murphy joined his teammates in heat chamber training.

"I did all of the training because pretty much when it happened, the best case was to play against Richmond but more than likely to play in this one," he said.

"So it went to plan and it's nice to be able to get into the (mid-season) break actually in the team.

"You miss this week and then all of a sudden you've missed four and then another one, and it's five weeks since you've played.

"That's not where you want to be at."

Murphy has had an unfortunate run with injuries over the last four years, with a knee reconstruction wrecking his 2006 campaign and hamstring troubles interrupting his comeback the following the season.

He underwent another knee operation in the recent pre-season, which kept him away from selection until round five.

And the fall-out from knee and soft-tissue complaints can been the toughest to deal with, he admits.

"It was more the year after the knee that was the most frustrating, which was the same again with this one," he said.

"It's the time after that's harder, with hamstring injuries [occurring].

"Now I feel fit and strong so I'm pretty sure it's all behind me."