Marcus Bontempelli is expected to continue pushing through the pain barrier and feature in the Western Bulldogs' crucial clash with Port Adelaide. The superstar midfielder has been troubled by a knee issue since the Round 6 defeat to Geelong, but Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge revealed Bontempelli is also dealing with a bruised heel.
Training Restrictions and Coach's Comments
Bontempelli was limited to light duties, mainly running laps, during the Bulldogs' main training session on Wednesday. "He's had a bruised heel that he's been dealing with, that's the main thing I've been worried about," Beveridge said. "It's the main reason he was limping a bit in the game just gone. But he's been able to deal with that and manage it with our medicos, and he's pretty confident he should be available."
Beveridge added humorously, "You don't run on your hands, so if you've got a bruised heel it can cause some issues, but we think that's improving."
Previous Rest Concerns
After last Friday night's loss against Fremantle, Beveridge suggested Bontempelli might need to be rested. However, with various other key players missing due to injury, the coach admitted sitting Bontempelli out could be difficult. The 30-year-old gathered a game-high 33 disposals and two goals to comfortably be the Bulldogs' best against the Dockers, despite spending a large period of the last quarter on the bench. When he returned to the ground, Bontempelli kicked a soaring goal that gave the Bulldogs a chance of snatching a famous win.
"It's a pretty high bar, as far as the pain threshold for him with discomfort," Beveridge said. "He wants to play, and we're not going to talk him out of doing that. He's missed a game here and there, and he missed the start of last year because he had to."
Bontempelli's Career and Injury History
Bontempelli has played 266 times for the Bulldogs since debuting in 2014. The seven-time All-Australian was forced to miss the first five games of last season with a calf injury but has only missed one other match since 2018.
Other Player Updates
Ruckman Tim English, who only returned to the team last week following three weeks out with a knee injury, was able to take part in some of the Bulldogs' main training after starting off in the rehab group. Veteran midfielder Adam Treloar, who was managed against the Dockers, is battling to get his body right. Beveridge described the 33-year-old's availability as "tenuous", saying Treloar would not play at AFL or VFL level this week.
