Opportunity and resilience awaits injury-plagued Western Bulldogs

Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli believes the handful of early-season setbacks will test the club’s depth and resilience.

Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli believes the handful of early-season setbacks will test the club’s depth and resilience. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli is looking at his side’s pre-season injury toll “through an optimistic lens”, saying it will create opportunity and test resilience in the early stages of the year.

The Bulldogs were hit with another injury blow on Monday, with small forward Cody Weightman sent for surgery on an injured knee.

Weightman joins Adam Treloar, Liam Jones, Jason Johannisen and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan on the sidelines for the start of the season.

Bontempelli admits the loss of five first-choice players is far from the dream start to 2025 but remains positive the Dogs have the depth to cover their absentees.

“It’s not ideal, I think everyone understands that, whether it’s now or two months’ time, you hope you can avoid it,” he said.

Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli believes the handful of early-season setbacks will test the club’s depth and resilience. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

“I am always trying to look at things through an optimistic lens. Yes, it means those players won’t be out there when you’d hoped they would have.

“But it’s going to create opportunity and it’s going to test our resilience early in the piece, which I think can only be good for us.”

Treloar, Jones and Johannisen are set to miss at least eight weeks, while Weightman is three months and Ugle-Hagan is out indefinitely.

Bontempelli says the long injury list is no shock given how difficult it is to prepare for an AFL season.

“I was in constant dialogue with him (Weightman) about how he’s been feeling because it has been a process to get to this stage,” he said.

“Obviously, trying to get him to the start of the season in as good a shape he can, but I think after spending 11 or 12 years in the game, you’re never really shocked how much of the toll a pre-season can have.”

The Bulldogs will make a SSP addition this week that will likely be former Gold Coast Suns ruckman Brayden Crossley.

Originally published as Opportunity and resilience awaits injury-plagued Western Bulldogs