Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says Tom Liberatore’s wellbeing will proceed to take precedence as he warns the champion midfielder just isn’t “out of the woods” regardless of being cleared to return to coaching after his newest concussion.
Beveridge stated the champion midfielder would work on his method to assist “mitigate” towards potential head clashes because the Bulldogs plan his return in two to a few weeks’ time.
Liberatore was on Monday given medical clearance to return to soccer after struggling his fourth concussion in 12 months within the Bulldogs’ loss to Hawthorn earlier this month.
His coach stated the 32-year-old would quickly return to major coaching after largely being confined to working laps at Whitten Oval whereas consultants deliberated over his enjoying future.
“There’s been plenty of time and dedication to creating certain that Tom’s wellbeing is on the forefront of our pondering,” Beveridge stated.
“He’s been coaching, so I believe bodily he’ll be OK – he’s in a position to do every thing. We’ll introduce him into the primary soccer drills previous to his return to play.
“If he’s snug, then he’ll come again into the group. I believe we’ve stated it’s two to a few weeks: it’ll be a type of.”
Beveridge stated he can be nervous for Liberatore when he returned, in addition to different Bulldogs gamers within the wake of 19-year-old Aiden O’Driscoll’s medical retirement from the AFL a fortnight in the past resulting from a concussion he suffered in January.
“It’s a problem to speak about it, as a result of it’s not like (Liberatore) is simply out of the woods, he comes again and performs and every thing’s OK,” he stated.
“Every time anybody who’s by no means had a concussion goes for the footy in a collision-type state of affairs, you maintain your breath.
“Typically you even suppose, ‘don’t go for this one, pleased for him to mark it’, no matter it could be, since you see the speed, the dedication of the gamers and our guys have hardly ever pulled out of these (contests).
“With Tom when he comes again, there’ll nonetheless be that nervousness that he would possibly cop one other knock.
“I used to be speaking to him this morning about method and craft, and a few conditions the place he’s been hit within the head, and what we are able to do to mitigate towards it occurring once more.”
The Bulldogs, who’ve solely received greater than two video games in a row twice because the 2021 finals sequence, had an opportunity to discover a new degree of consistency towards prime of the ladder Sydney on Thursday evening, Beveridge stated.
He stated in-form midfielder Ed Richards might spend important intervals on Swans celebrity Isaac Heeney resulting from his defensive skills.
“I believe when you think about (Richards) and doubtless Marcus (Bontempelli) is the opposite actual aerialist by means of that midfield, we’ll have to guarantee that as a group we cowl Isaac, particularly when he spreads ahead,” he stated.
“If he’s drifting ahead, we’d like to verify we’re able to compete with him, and as you alluded to, Ed’s one who can try this.”
