Western Bulldogs star Tom Liberatore can be sidelined indefinitely after the membership confirmed he suffered one other concussion in Sunday’s loss to Hawthorn.
Coach Luke Beveridge mentioned the Bulldogs had been involved for Liberatore after he once more “stumbled” on the sector following a head knock throughout the last quarter of the sport which additionally left him with a gash.
The 31-year-old had solely simply returned after he was positioned in concussion protocols following an on-field collapse in opposition to Essendon in spherical 5.
He had been named to play in opposition to Fremantle final week however was withdrawn earlier than the sport as a result of he felt unwell.
“Having suffered two concussions inside a brief area of time, Tom can be unavailable for an indefinite interval because the membership works by way of an intensive course of earlier than a return-to-play is set,” a Bulldogs assertion launched on Monday evening learn.
Liberatore was set to obtain an MRO sanction for a harmful deal with on Hawthorn’s Will Day throughout the third time period.
“It’s one thing I can’t actually touch upon as a result of I noticed (Liberatore) stumble in the midst of the bottom and that’s regarding,” Beveridge mentioned.
“For it to occur once more this afternoon when it was solely a few weeks in the past the identical factor occurred, it’s a much bigger concern than a one-week problem.
“We’ll take a conservative method, we’ll take care of him.”
The seven-point defeat was the Bulldogs’ fourth in 5 video games and left them eleventh on the ladder as stress once more mounts on Beveridge’s place.
Membership president Kylie Watson-Wheeler mentioned it was too early within the season to make a “rash determination” however mentioned she was dissatisfied by shedding a recreation they “anticipated to win”.
Watson-Wheeler mentioned Beveridge, who has made daring choice calls this season, together with to depart premiership and All-Australian defender Caleb Daniel out in opposition to the Hawks, continued to have her help.
“Yeah, he’s contracted till the tip of subsequent yr, we’re actually centered on working along with the teaching group and we have now had numerous teaching adjustments as properly so we’re settling that in,” Watson-Wheeler informed ABC Radio.
“We’re centered on supporting the group we have now and actually guaranteeing we’re giving them all the pieces they should convey that constructive consequence on the sector.
“I feel you could watch what is occurring on the sector persistently and what’s taking place throughout the partitions of the membership … we’re in a little bit of a part of evolution throughout the staff and figuring out how we are able to handle to ship that prime efficiency that we have now the flexibility to do on a constant foundation.”
The Bulldogs performed an in depth assessment of their soccer division final season that led to the appointment of Matt Egan in a newly created common supervisor of soccer operations function.
Watson-Wheeler mentioned the membership was persevering with to evaluate how their employees was faring within the new construction however wouldn’t leap to any sudden conclusions.
“I feel it’s too early within the season for us to panic or for us to make rash selections,” she mentioned.
“However we’re all the time coming collectively as a membership and we’re all the time discussing the place we’re at – does the enjoying group have what they want? Are the precise selections being made?
“This isn’t one thing that you simply simply leap in on when you might have a foul loss … these conversations are taking place consistently and we’re all the time assessing the place we’re at as a
