Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Western Bulldogs veteran Tom Liberatore is no certainty to return for the club’s wildcard game as he battles a knee issue.
Listed as managed on Thursday night when the teams were released, Liberatore’s absence for Saturday’s clash with Melbourne has been explained further.
“He didn’t finish the (training) session (on Thursday),” Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said on Friday.
“He’s got a little bit going on in one of his knees, so we couldn’t pick him.
“It’s not even a a conservative approach.
“He actually couldn’t play this week, so we’ll monitor that over the next few days and see how he is.
” … he just wasn’t fluent enough to get through the session, let alone play.
“We’re a little bit concerned that he might not be able to play the week after.”
Although the Bulldogs will be without their courageous premiership hero, there are reinforcements.
After resting for last week’s draw against Carlton, captain Marcus Bontempelli makes a welcome return.
Bontempelli has been dealing with numerous niggles across this season, but the birth of his first child last Friday helped encourage him to have a rest.
“He’s still obviously a little bit ginger with the Achilles, that’s just there nagging a little bit,” Beveridge said of Bontempelli.
“But the week off’s done him the world of good, and obviously he’s a proud new dad.
“That’s really exciting for both of them (Bontempelli and his wife Neila) and their families, and really for us, it’s pretty emotional.”
In an added boost dashing defender Bailey Dale and the hardworking Connor Budarick also return after long injury lay-offs.
The Bulldogs, at best, could finish eighth if they upset the Demons at their MCG fortress.
But a defeat could be costly and send them to 10th, potentially matching them up with a wildcard game at Adelaide Oval against the Crows.
Currently sitting fifth, Melbourne need to win to be in with a chance of jumping into a top-four spot.
But if the Demons slip up, they could tumble down to seventh and be forced into a wildcard game rather than have the pre-finals bye.
