Ciaran Sheehan will make his long-awaited return via the Northern Blues this weekend.

Sheehan has been on the sidelines since August 2014, with hip surgery seeing him miss the entire 2015 season. 

Sheehan has been named on the extended bench in a 31-man squad and will front up for the Northern Blues this Saturday against reigning premier Williamstown, either at VFL or Development level.

Click here to see the Northern Blues' Round 6 squad

After more than 18 months without playing, Sheehan is a welcomed inclusion as the Blues look to atone for two disappointing results in Round 5.

“It’s looking like Ciaran is going to be available for the Northern Blues this week, which is fantastic for him given he’s had such limited football in the last year or so,” Carlton’s Head of Football Andrew McKay told carltonfc.com.au earlier this week.

The test doesn’t get any greater for Sheehan and his Northern counterparts, with the Seagulls having won the premiership in both competitions last season and in red-hot form to start 2016.

The VFL match commences from Burbank Oval at 2pm on Saturday afternoon, with the Development match preceding it with the bounce to come at 11am.