Western Bulldogs hard nut Liam Picken has been sidelined indefinitely with concussion

THE Western Bulldogs will be without Liam Picken indefinitely following a head knock earlier this month while a number of key faces are missing on the backline. How will the Dogs line up in Round 1?

WESTERN Bulldogs premiership hero Liam Picken is the latest player to be ruled out indefinitely with concussion.

Picken, 31, suffered a second heavy knock inside 12 months and was stretchered off the Ballarat field during the pre-season win against Hawthorn on March 3.

He will not play against Greater Western Sydney on Sunday — 22 days later.

In Round 3 last year Picken lay motionless on the ground after his head collided with Fremantle’s Tom Sheridan.

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The hard nut played six days later and has missed just four matches since 2010.

The Bulldogs said on Monday night they would take a conservative approach with their much-loved utility and 2016 finals star.

Picken, who is contracted for 2019 and shared the Bulldogs’ goalkicking with Jake Stringer last year, will continue non-contact training at Whitten Oval.

Liam Picken is helped by medical staff after a concussion. Picture: Getty Images

The Bulldogs will deploy a baby backline against the Giants with Dale Morris (knee) and Marcus Adams (ankle) injured and captain Easton Wood set to play in attack.

No. 9 draft pick Aaron Naughton will debut in a defence including premiership forward Zaine Cordy as they battle the likes of Jeremy Cameron, Jon Patton and Rory Lobb.

The 194cm Naughton turned 18 after he was drafted but has been a summer standout as an intercepting defender.

Fletcher Roberts and Lewis Young are likely to contend for the third key defensive post following Adams’ blow last week.

Roberts and Young did not feature in the pre-season.

The new-look backline has undergone a makeover since the departures of Joel Hamling (Fremantle), Matthew Boyd and Bob Murphy (retired) and Wood’s move forward.

“We’re evolving,” coach Luke Beveridge said.

“We’ve got a brand new back end (and) we’ve got new players playing in different positions.

“Last year seems like an eternity ago and two or three years ago seems like a lifetime ago.

“It is brand new.”

The Bulldogs will use ex-Fremantle forward Hayden Crozier as a running defender while key forwards Tom Boyd and Josh Schache are likely to begin the season in the VFL.

Ruckman Tim English is in the selection frame and understood to be closer to senior action than both Boyd and Schache.

Full-forward Jack Redpath is unavailable until Round 2 because of a suspension hanging over from late last year.