AFL finals track watch: Adam Treloar and Laitham Vandermeer set to play, Rhylee West in doubt

Bulldogs star Adam Treloar is ready to go for Friday’s massive elimination final. Plus the latest on Laitham Vandermeer and Rhylee West.

A sweet goal from the 50m line has surely sealed Adam Treloar’s spot in Friday’s elimination final as Laitham Vandermeer also got through training without concern.

Treloar (calf) and Vandermeer (hamstring) were both expected to be fit to face the Hawks in the MCG blockbuster and completed Wednesday’s main session without concern.

Treloar trained with his left calf heavily strapped and moved well.

Vandermeer was the last man on track but had no concerns during a blustery session at Whitten Oval.

Adam Treloar will play on Friday night. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The Dogs have been weighing up whether to bring Rhylee West (jaw) back into the team to face Hawthorn and little was given away in a drill covering two thirds of the field.

Most of the first-choice Dogs played on one team against those wearing bibs and West was in a bib.

But so was Arthur Jones, who was the starting substitute in round 24 against GWS.

Jack Macrae also wore a bib in that drill, while Lachie McNeil maintained his spot in ‘probables’ forward half, alongside Vandermeer and the first-choice forwards.

It was in this drill that Treloar kicked a beautiful set shot from the flank, navigating the breeze to carry the goal line with a kick that travelled 55m.

As always, Bailey Smith remained a focus at training even when he was on the sidelines.

Fully expected to seek a trade to Geelong at the end of the season, Smith joined in some early drills before drifting off to do a lengthy running session as part of the rehab on his knee injury.

Luke Beveridge at training on Wednesday. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Dogs coach Luke Beveridge said before training the club was in no mood to push Smith to the line to play in the finals, despite Carlton naming Sam Docherty to play this week, when he suffered a similar knee injury three months after Smith.

Norm Smith medallist Jason Johannisen joined Smith for the running session away from the main group.

He has not played since round 9 due to a calf injury and now appears certain to sit out the remainder of the season.

First-year Dog Ryley Sanders also completed running instead of taking on the main drill.

The wind did not stop a smattering of diehard Dogs fans from watching training on Wednesday, with cricketing great Simon O’Donnell taking in the session from a grandstand, with his son James to play in defence on Friday.

Just one brave Hawthorn fan wore a scarf for the session, prompting comments from one opposing fan about “that Hawthorn girl”.