Carlton skipper Marc Murphy says his knee is feeling good and he’s looking forward to getting a full pre-season under his belt.

Surgery limited Murphy’s build-up to the 2013 season, leaving him to start the year without a full fitness base.

But the 26-year-old has returned to training with Carlton’s senior players today, and says his body is ready to hit the ground running.

“Getting a good base is critical, especially when you are playing in the midfield and coming up against the best blokes from opposition clubs,” Murphy said.

“Missing out on that two or three months prior to Christmas last year, it definitely hurt me, so I’m already two or three months ahead of where I was this time last year.”

Murphy will head to Arizona for a training camp with his teammates tomorrow.

The group will spend two weeks training at altitude and taking part in a number of hikes, including one through the Grand Canyon.

The Carlton captain says it will be a good opportunity for the team to bond.

“It’s not just about challenging yourself physically in Arizona, it’s about developing ourselves as people as well, and about developing leadership,” Murphy said. “So I can’t wait to get over there and grow with that.”