Newly re-signed ruck Tim English will miss the Western Bulldogs’ crucial final-round clash with GWS due to an ankle injury. English, who also sat out last week’s dominant win over North Melbourne, was replaced by Rory Lobb, who impressed after a positional shift.
The 27-year-old did not participate in training at the Whitten Oval on Wednesday, and Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has all but confirmed that English won’t be available to face the Giants.
“He’s close,” Beveridge said of English, who recently signed a contract extension with the Bulldogs, keeping him at the club until the end of 2029. “Hopefully, he gets a chance to return if we win this weekend, but we don’t anticipate he’ll be available this week.”
After revitalizing his career by shifting to defense in the past two months, Rory Lobb returned to his original position in the forward line during the match against North Melbourne. The former GWS player will now face off against Giants ruckman Kieren Briggs in a crucial clash in Ballarat on Sunday.
Lobb will take it easy in training this week after sustaining a heavy knock in the game against the Kangaroos. Despite the setback, Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge praised Lobb’s resilience.
“‘Lobby’ has that mentality where if you cut his leg off, he’d grow it back,” Beveridge said. “I was trying to figure out what kind of reptile that is—whether it’s a salamander, a chameleon, or just your garden-variety lizard that can do that—but that’s why I love his attitude. He believes he can play until he’s old and grey, and he’ll immediately say he’s going to be OK. It’s great to have him with that versatility in his game.”
The Bulldogs must defeat GWS to ensure a spot in the finals. However, they could still finish as high as fourth if Geelong and the Brisbane Lions suffer significant upsets. On the other hand, if Hawthorn, Carlton, and Fremantle all win and the Bulldogs lose to GWS, they could drop out of the top eight.
In a surprising move, injured midfielder Bailey Smith made an appearance at the Western Bulldogs’ club facilities this week as he contemplates his future. The 23-year-old has been recovering from an ACL operation, largely away from the Whitten Oval.
Last week, Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge expressed some uncertainty about Smith’s future at the club, saying, “as time goes on, your confidence levels start to wane a little bit.” However, Beveridge welcomed Smith’s presence at the club on Wednesday.
“It’s always nice having him around,” Beveridge said. “Given that his first game back is still a long way off, there’s no need for him to be here all the time. He’s obviously eager to get back to playing football, especially at this time of year, so it’s tough to manage his excitement, but it’s great to see him. He’ll be in and out of the club over the coming weeks.”
Beveridge also began his press conference by paying tribute to journalist Sam Landsberger, who passed away suddenly and tragically on Tuesday. Landsberger was a passionate Bulldogs supporter, with his father, Jake, having served as the club’s medical officer for many years.
“Obviously, it’s a really tragic set of circumstances, and a challenging and morbid time for the family,” Beveridge said. “Love to you, Jake and Anne, and the family—we’re thinking of you.”
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