WESTERN Bulldogs star Bailey Smith has returned to the main group for the first time in 2023 as he builds towards round one, but Adam Treloar is still in a race against the clock to be fit for the season opener against Melbourne on March 18.
Smith has been restricted to a modified program due to lingering lower leg soreness since the Bulldogs reported back for pre-season earlier this month.
But with Luke Beveridge's squad heading down the Mornington Peninsula for a four-day pre-season camp this week, Smith completed most of Monday's training session at Rye Football Ground in front of hundreds of interested locals.
The Western Bulldogs have carefully managed the 22-year-old’s workload across January and are now ready for Smith to build his match sim minutes ahead of the club's practice match against North Melbourne at the start of March.
After playing 84 games across his first four seasons in the AFL, Smith is set to take on greater responsibility in the middle this year following the departure of reigning Sutton Medal winner Josh Dunkley to Brisbane and wingman Lachie Hunter to Melbourne.
Treloar continues to be the Bulldogs' biggest injury concern ahead of the season, with the former Collingwood and Greater Western Sydney midfielder managing an ankle issue that has prevented him from training with the main group so far this pre-season.
The 29-year-old underwent ankle surgery in September to deal with an injury that hampered him late last season, but is still dealing with soreness and limited in how much work he can do on the track.
With 47 days between now and round one, Treloar is running out of time to bank a solid block but the club remains confident he will be available for selection.
Ruckman Tim English completed a long running session around the boundary on Monday and won't train with the main group this week due to a tight adductor.
The West Australian has been one of the standouts on the track at Skinner Reserve across the summer and is expected to return to full training next Wednesday, after returning from a four-day break.
Key defender Alex Keath missed last Friday's extended match simulation in front of more than a thousand supporters and won't train with the main group until next week due to a minor ankle complaint.
The 31-year-old was joined in the rehab group in Rye by All-Australian small defender Caleb Daniel, Hayden Crozier, Tim O'Brien and Charlie Clarke, who has been limited by back soreness across his maiden summer in the AFL.
Daniel has been used in the midfield across January – along with Cody Weightman and Rhylee West – and is set to spend more time there in 2023, but the 26-year-old is recovering from a back spasm and is set to return to full training late next week.
First-round pick Jedd Busslinger continues to build his strength up and add size to his light frame after undergoing a shoulder reconstruction in July last year.
The Western Bulldogs are currently stacked full of key defensive depth – Liam Jones, Sam Darcy, Josh Bruce, Ryan Gardner and Keath – and expected to be patient with the skinny West Australian they selected at pick No.13 in last November's NAB AFL Draft.
While every other club except for Greater Western Sydney have planned an extra practice match for late February, the Dogs have opted for just one organised hitout along with an intra-club clash during their community camp.
The Dogs have moved their football program down the coast for the week and will be based in Portsea for a range of training and team building exercises ahead of the break, with the commercial team also hosting events with club partners.
