Mitch Wallis has successful surgery on broken leg, Brad Johnson says Bulldogs can regroup

FORMER Western Bulldogs captain Brad Johnson says the team can take confidence from its ability to rebound from heartbreak in the wake of Mitch Wallis’ injury.

Mitch Wallis gives the thumbs up from his hospital bed after successful surgery. Picture: Instagram

WESTERN Bulldogs gun midfielder Mitch Wallis has declared surgery on his broken leg a success as former captain Brad Johnson says the team can take confidence from its ability to rebound from heartbreak.

Wallis, 23, fractured both his tibia and fibula in Saturday night’s 15-point loss to St Kilda, while teammate Jack Redpath is on track for his third knee reconstruction after tearing his ACL, with scenes in the rooms after the game reported to be highly emotional.

“Successful surgery!! Humbled by the support and messages ... #I’ll be back ... go dogs,” Wallis posted on Instagram yesterday.

The Bulldogs lost skipper Bob Murphy from the ranks after he tore his ACL in Round 3 and went on to win the next two games - an experience Johnson believes the Bulldogs can use to their favour as they prepare to take on flag fancy Geelong on Friday night.

“100 per cent (they can take confidence from getting through it before),” he told the Herald Sun.

“No question. That’s in some ways good for the young group - that they can draw on an experience which wasn’t that long ago.

“The good thing about that was the flexibility in terms of the players that came in obviously had an impact immediately in those positions and playing that role of Bob.

“I think it’ll be similar (this time). They’ve got the players there that can jump straight in or rotate through ... a couple of different roles throughout if things aren’t working out.

“That’s still the positive nature for the Bulldogs.”

Johnson, who was playing at the club when former forward Nathan Brown suffered a sickening leg injury in 2005 - similar to that of Wallis - and key forward Chris Grant had a knee reconstruction in 2003.

He said the mood of the group “can shift pretty quickly” and has suggested shaking things up at the selection table for a spark.

“Opportunity now will come for others in different positions,” he said.

“I was talking to (fellow former Bulldog) Scotty West and he threw up (the idea) for Matty Boyd - who is so good in the middle of the ground - to maybe go into the midfield.

“The coaches down there have done so well in terms of having to be flexible, especially in the defensive end when they lost all of those players there early on.

“They got through that really well and have got really good confidence and structures that they can rely on, and a strong VFL team that’s going really well. Regardless of who comes in, the role is pretty well explained to them for what they need to do to be successful anyway as a collective group.

“(I suggested for Jordan) Roughead to go forward and replace Jack (Redpath) in that sense, but if they’re looking for a second ruck, then why wouldn’t you go with Roughy and Will Minson who can both do it at that end of the ground as well?

“It more helps (Jake) Stringer and Tory Dickson, who are going to be the multiple goalkickers over the next month for the Bulldogs and the really strong and consistent forwards that they’ve got.”