Fletcher Roberts, Lewis Young in mix to replace Dale Morris in Western Bulldogs side

A forgotten premiership player and a rising young star shape as the Western Bulldogs’ options as they look to cover for the loss of Dale Morris this season.

Dale Morris hurt his knee at Western Bulldogs training. Picture: Michael Klein

Forgotten Western Bulldogs defender Fletcher Roberts is in the mix to be thrown an AFL lifeline in the wake of Dale Morris’ latest injury blow.

The out-of-favour Roberts has played just 12 AFL matches since the 2016 Premiership including two last year but shapes as a possible solution to the Bulldogs’ key-position dilemmas.

MORRIS OPTS NOT TO UNDERGO SURGERY ON INJURED KNEE

SUPERCOACH: THE PHANTOM’S ULTIMATE GUIDE TO TOP-LINERS

AL PATON REVEALS HIS FINAL SUPERCOACH SIDE FOR 2019

WHAT ROLE WILL ABLETT PLAY THIS YEAR FOR CATS?

Morris went down at training last Friday and is unlikely to be available until at least the second half of the season after suffering a high-grade injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

With coach Luke Beveridge keen to continue playing fellow key defender Aaron Naughton in attack after a three-goal pre-season game against St Kilda, the Bulldogs’ backline looks set to be down missing two key defenders from where it finished last year.

Fletcher Roberts gets a kick away during one of his two AFL matches last season. Picture: Michael Klein

Lewis Young will be considered as a replacement for Dale Morris. Picture: Michael Klein

Roberts placed second in Footscray’s best-and-fairest count in the VFL last season, averaging 12.7 disposals, 4.1 marks and 4.9 spoils.

Fellow Bulldogs defender Matt Suckling said he wouldn’t be surprised to see the 196cm big man given a chance to fill Morris’ sizeable shoes.

“He’s got to be in the conversation,” Suckling said.

“Every week, you know what you’re going to get from him. He’s a premiership player and the last year or so he hasn’t played as many games as he would have liked but his form and attitude in the VFL has been first-rate.”

Lewis Young, who has played just nine AFL games, is the other recognised key defender in the wings at the Bulldogs and also impressed at VFL level last year, averaging 16.9 disposals, 7.1 marks and 7.2 spoils.

The Bulldogs’ other option is to play small with only Jackson Trengove and Zaine Cordy as key defenders and Trengove also acting as a back-up ruckman to Tim English, as he did in both of the club’s pre-season matches.

“Tim English could take the No. 1 ruck rule and swing Jackson back,” Suckling said.

“He’s played a lot of footy down back and could fit in quite easily.”

Roberts and Young did not feature in the Bulldogs’ two JLT Community Series matches.