Caleb Daniel set to be crucial inclusion for Western Bulldogs clash against West Coast

WESTERN Bulldogs say Caleb Daniel was battling a virus last week and is a likely inclusion against West Coast after his confusing absence from Sunday’s belting from GWS.

Caleb Daniel at Western Bulldogs training. Picture: Michael Klein

WESTERN Bulldogs say Caleb Daniel is a likely inclusion against West Coast despite his confusing absence from Sunday’s belting against GWS.

Daniel was a travelling emergency for the 82-point loss, with former Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy saying he was “surprised” he did not play in Round 1.

But Dogs football boss Chris Grant told the Herald Sun that Daniel had a bad virus that had caused him to miss the Moe JLT game which had badly knocked him around.

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He also missed several training sessions around that time which was a setback at a key time in the lead-in to Round 1.

Despite missing the VFL practice match against Geelong last Sunday, he will be considered to replace either Hayden Crozier or Tom Liberatore.

Daniel finished fifth in last year’s best-and-fairest and averaged 22 possessions with elite disposal efficiency.

Caleb Daniel is set to return to the Bulldogs line-up. Picture: Mark Stewart

As a midfielder who can play through the centre or drift to half-back he would seem an obvious choice to come into the side.

Mitch Wallis was a strong contributor in the VFL performance with Lin Jong and Jack Redpath also available.

Fans have used Daniel’s absence as a lightning rod for criticism of the Dogs’ selection policies.

But coach Luke Beveridge said this week he would be strongly considered against West Coast.

“Caleb will be in the mix. He didn’t play on the weekend. He had a bit of an interruption, it’s why he didn’t play in Moe,’’ he said.

“He had a pretty solid training session yesterday and he will be in calculations.

Lin Jong in action during the JLT Series.

Mitch Wallis at Bulldogs training.

“There are a number of boys who played reasonably well on the weekend, (Wallis) will be one of the boys in the mix.”

Murphy told SEN he could not understand why Daniel had not played against GWS.

“I’m a big fan of Caleb Daniel. For a guy of his stature he can do it all,” he said.

“He finds the ball, he uses it well, but he makes such good decisions, and their ball use on the weekend was pretty terrible.

“I would expect Caleb to be in (this week), and I was surprised he was out.”