WESTERN Bulldogs defender Lindsay Gilbee will be named for Sunday's clash with North Melbourne, but is no certainty to play after reinjuring his troublesome ankle at training on Wednesday.

Gilbee, who has been struggling with ligament damage for the past month, was visibly distressed as he left the track shortly before the end of the one-hour session at Whitten Oval.

Coach Rodney Eade said while Gilbee would be named in the final 22 on Friday, he was in doubt for the match.

"He got caught in a bit of a tackle. He hurt it again in Darwin, so it has been going on for a few weeks," Eade said.

"There was some doubt on him anyway. It was the first day that he's trained; he didn't train at all last week, so I suppose there is some doubt now.

"I'll get a further update from the doctor later on, but the doctor did come out and say he's still hopeful he'll be able to play but it's obviously put him in some doubt.

"I'll wait to get an update but we're still hopeful he'll play. We'll certainly give him every chance and certainly name him, but we don't know at this stage."

Eade named Dylan Addison, Tim Callan and one-gamer Sam Reid as possible replacements for Gilbee if he failed to recover in time for Sunday match at the MCG.

Meanwhile, Tom Williams will spend at least another week at Williamstown as he attempts to gain some match fitness.

"He moved very well today, I thought," Eade said.

"We won't risk the temptation. We think he needs some continuity, so we'll give him at least one and maybe two or three weeks at Williamstown to actually get his confidence back in his body."

Callan trained strongly on Wednesday and showed no signs of the concussion he received on the weekend in the VFL, while young ruckman Ayce Cordy was running around after suffering a potentially serious neck injury in the same game.

"Ayce is okay, I think. They're going to do another concussion test to see if he's lucid, but I think they're confident he'll play [VFL]," Eade said.

"We won't take any risks with him. Everything was clear; it's just a matter of him being clear-minded and that he's okay."

Eade said Sunday's match loomed as a danger game for the third-placed Bulldogs, with North Melbourne set to make their first appearance under caretaker coach Darren Crocker.

"The Kangaroos have shown for 30 years they have a great resilience, and they are very much a club that thrives on hard work and their persistence and perseverance," he said.

"They're a very competitive side so there's no doubt, to use their new coach's phrase, they'll freshen up.

"They've got some talent coming back in so it's going to be a difficult game from that aspect."