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Having endured a bruising pre-season competition, the Western Bulldogs expect three major names to return this week, while their ruck stocks have also been given a boost.
Star midfielder Marcus Bontempelli, veteran Matthew Boyd and former Magpie Travis Cloke will train this week and the Dogs on Monday expected them to line up in the final JLT practice match, against the Gold Coast Suns at Metricon Stadium on Thursday night.
Bontempelli has battled a minor ankle issue since a pre-season camp in Mooloolaba and has not played in the Dogs' opening two practice matches, losses to Demons and the Brisbane Lions.
He was named to play against the Lions at Etihad Stadium but was a late withdrawal. Boyd and Cloke were also named in the original squad but were late withdrawals.
Should Bontempelli not play against the Suns, there will be major questions over his fitness heading into a round-one blockbuster against Collingwood.
Coach Luke Beveridge last week said Boyd and Cloke, the latter kicked a goal on debut against the Demons, had been dealing with "niggles".
Already without frontline ruckman Jordan Roughead (hamstring) for the early part of the season, the Dogs received another blow in a recent intra-club clash when Tom Campbell hurt his ankle and hobbled off.
However, Campbell has begun running in recent days and his fitness will be monitored, with no definitive time frame for a return.
There are several players fighting for selection against the Pies, with Stewart Crameri, Matt Suckling and Lin Jong impressing through the pre-season. All three missed last year's premiership.
Beveridge was effusive of Jong after the loss to the Lions.
"That combination of his forward play and his midfield really came to the fore, which was fantastic and that's where he's aiming to influence the competition and establish himself in the 22 so that was encouraging," he said.
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