Out-of-sorts Carlton veteran Dale Thomas must earn his spot in the Blues’ senior side through the VFL.

Thomas missed Carlton’s 90-point thrashing at the hands of Port Adelaide due to general soreness.

The 29-year-old has regained fitness but his form in the first month of the season didn’t demand automatic inclusion in the team to face Sydney at the MCG on Saturday.

“One thing about Daisy (Thomas), it’s a little bit similar to us as a team, we’ve played some really good football in patches,” coach Brendon Bolton said on Friday.

“We’ve been a little bit inconsistent and, like us, Daisy would be the first to admit that he’s been a bit inconsistent.

“He’ll go back and work extremely hard.”

Bolton confirmed star duo Marc Murphy (knee) and Bryce Gibbs (thumb) have been cleared to take on the Swans.

The coach added more experience to his 16th-placed team as he looks to improve on a 1-4 record.

Former Docker Alex Silvagni is in for his first game for the club, while Matthew Kreuzer, Billie Smedts and Nick Graham also return.

Sydney are winless and sit last on the ladder, but are warm favourites to defeat the Blues at the MCG, which is due in no small part to the presence of Lance Franklin.

The game-breaking forward has booted 21 goals against Carlton in four games as a Swan.

“Buddy’s one of those players in the competition who can do that to anyone … he’s such a talented player with a big left foot,” Bolton said.

“We’ve just got to make sure that we keep a lot of pressure on him because in time and space he’ll really hurt you.”

Sydney coach John Longmire brought in Jeremy Laidler, Brandon Jack and Nic Newman, with Kieren Jack (hip), Harry Marsh (hamstring) and Jordan Foote (omitted) dropping out.