HE MIGHT be the AFL's shortest player, but what Caleb Daniel lacks in stature he makes up for in work ethic, veteran Western Bulldogs defender Dale Morris says.

 

On Saturday the 167cm South Australian will get his first taste of the big time in a NAB Challenge clash against Melbourne at Ballarat's Eureka Stadium.

 

It will just reward for the dynamic midfielder, who has turned heads for more than just his size since he arrived at the Kennel.

 

"I spoke about energy before and he's got tons of it," said Morris, who will captain the Dogs in Robert Murphy's absence against the Demons.

 

"In training he's the one that's always last off the track, always working the hardest already in his first year.

 

"So I'm excited to see how he goes and I'm sure he's going to do some nice things for this football club."

 

Daniel, who was the 46th pick in last year's NAB AFL Draft, is one of seven new Dogs who could be unleashed against the Demons.

 

Fellow draftees Toby McLean, Lukas Webb, Declan Hamilton and Bailey Dale might get their chance, while rookie recruits Jordan Kelly and Roarke Smith have also been named in the 29-man squad.

 

"It's a good sign for the club, good for the supporters, good for the players, good for the club to see how the new draftees and some young guys are going to go out on the big stage," Morris said.

 

The Bulldogs have rested first-year skipper Murphy and vice-captain Jordan Roughead won't take the field at the Bulldogs' new second home in Ballarat.

 

It is their first game at the venue since the club announced plans to expand into the region.

 

Morris said the Dogs were keen to build on their relationships in Ballarat and for another chance to test out their gameplan under new coach Luke Beveridge.

 

In Beveridge's first match in charge, the Dogs defeated Richmond by 22 points at the Whitten Oval two weeks ago.

 

"We've worked really hard this pre-season," Morris said. "We just want to put into practice the things that we've worked on under pressure in a game sense and see how the guys hold up and see how the structures hold up too."

 

It will also be a chance for Beveridge to look at potential replacements for star midfielder Tom Liberatore, whose season was ended by a torn ACL against the Tigers.

 

Morris nominated Josh Prudden and Mitch Honeychurch as players who might get an opportunity to fill the breach.

 

"With any team if you lose your gun players they're hard to replace but we've got a lot of guys willing to step up who have put their hand up to take that position and that role," Morris said.

"Whether it's spread over one, two, three players – we don't know.

 

"I think that's the beauty with our midfield mix is that we've got that many people who can run through there that, yeah, he will be missed because he's such a gun but we've got guys that can really step up."