Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli is in doubt for the crunch clash with Sydney as Luke Beveridge faces a mounting injury toll that threatens to derail his side’s AFL premiership bid.
Bontempelli (knee) is one of several sore stars who will be given right up until game time at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night to prove their fitness.
Ed Richards (ankle) and Aaron Naughton (hand) played through pain last week, while Rory Lobb (hamstring) is another in doubt to face the Swans.
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It comes with gun forward Sam Darcy (knee), Tom Liberatore (concussion) and James O’Donnell (hamstring) all ruled out, and with Tim English (knee) and Cody Weightman (knee) still unavailable.
Bontempelli joining them on the sidelines would be another huge blow as the Bulldogs (4-2) attempt to arrest a two-match losing skid against ladder leaders Sydney (5-1).
“We’ll give him right up until the death,” Dogs coach Beveridge said.
“We’ve had two six-day turnarounds … there’s a couple of boys who are a little bit sore.
“Ultimately they’ll play if there’s no risk that they’ll injure what they’re sore with, but if there’s any concern that they’ll be impeded or that discomfort might turn into an injury, then they won’t play.”
Beveridge said veteran midfielder Adam Treloar will be called up for his first AFL game of the season if he gets through training.
The 33-year-old has averaged 37 disposals in two hit-outs at VFL level since overcoming a calf injury.
“He’s had a spluttering last couple of months but definitely played well (last week) and we might have three or four changes,” Beveridge said.
“If he’s OK, he’ll play … but because of the recent preparation and how that’s gone for him, I can’t emphatically say that he’s going to be right at the end of the session.
“We’ll see how we go.”
The Bulldogs were “flattened” by Darcy’s season-ending injury, in particular, during what Beveridge described as a “traumatic” loss to Geelong last week.
Beveridge said the 22-year-old is in good spirits and will undergo surgery in the coming days once swelling in the knee goes down.
The coach denied suggestions Darcy’s previous left knee injury, which sidelined him for two months last year, played a role in the latest setback.
“I wouldn’t have thought so. It’s a totally different situation,” Beveridge said.
“It was just a jarring, bone bruising, hyperextension last year and Sam did an amazing job to come back and play the footy that he did.
“Our medical crew did an awesome job through the consulting process last year to piece together a plan to get him back so quick.
“That was absolutely brilliant, but no, one’s got nothing to do with the other.”
The Bulldogs won their opening four games of the season but have been brought back to the pack over the last fortnight, raising the stakes for the Sydney clash.
“We’ve won some games in the early stages and we haven’t been over the moon with the way we’ve played,” Beveridge said.
“There are things that we’re working on that we’re not necessarily doing that well, but we just managed to scrap some wins.
“They’re important, but we’ve been sat on our backside by two pretty good sides in Hawthorn and Geelong.”
The Dogs will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of their drought-breaking 2016 premiership in coming days, with the majority of that grand final side to attend the Sydney clash.
Bontempelli and Liberatore are the last remaining active players from the team that beat the Swans to secure the club’s second AFL/VFL flag.
