Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli is on track to face North Melbourne this Saturday, despite initial concerns over his fitness following back spasms earlier in the week. Bontempelli joined his teammates at training on Friday at Whitten Oval, where he appeared to move freely during lane drills.
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge provided an update on Bontempelli’s status, indicating that the star midfielder is more likely than not to play. However, Bontempelli will undergo a final fitness test away from the cameras later in the day to confirm his availability.
“He’s going to have a little test indoors – you may not see him out there, and you may not know whether or not he’s playing,” Beveridge said. “From a probability point of view, he’s more on the above 50 per cent side, but I can’t tell you whether he’s playing or not.”
Bontempelli’s potential inclusion comes amidst Beveridge’s excitement to experiment with a tall forward line featuring Sam Darcy alongside other key forwards like Aaron Naughton and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan. The coach acknowledged the challenge of fitting all these tall players into the team structure, particularly after Rory Lobb’s impressive performance in the previous game.
“Philosophically, from a management and coaching point of view, you just can’t omit a player like Lobb who was probably in our six most influential players against Fremantle,” Beveridge emphasized.
Meanwhile, Beveridge also noted North Melbourne’s challenges, particularly with the absence of influential midfielder George Wardlaw due to concussion.
“They’ll need to replace (Wardlaw) because we feel he’s been very influential in their trajectory over the last month or so,” Beveridge commented.
As the Bulldogs prepare for a crucial clash with North Melbourne, Beveridge faces decisions on team selection, potentially recalling Caleb Daniel or Anthony Scott should Bontempelli be ruled out.
The final decision on Bontempelli’s availability will be made closer to game day, adding intrigue to the Bulldogs’ lineup for Saturday’s encounter.