Tim English and Ed Richards will return for Western Bulldogs’ Friday night clash with Sydney as coach Luke Beveridge declares there are no “alarm bells” over his team’s predicament.
Both players have recovered from their respective concussions, with English sitting out the past two games because of his history of brain injuries.
Beveridge also confirmed star midfielder Adam Treloar (hamstring tightness) would be fit to play, while spearhead Josh Bruce (hamstring) is expected to resume in the VFL on Sunday.
The Bulldogs will find themselves two games outside the top eight if they fail to beat the eighth-placed Swans for a second time this season, after losing four of their first six matches.
They had won five of their previous six matches before going down by 41 points to Brisbane at the Gabba last week, with that formline instilling belief in Beveridge that his men can return to September.
“There’s a third of the season, or just under, to go,” Beveridge said.
“People have got to remember that, and our formline has been relatively strong in recent times – we’ve just been beaten by a good side.
“We fell apart a little bit in that third quarter, no doubt, which is disappointing, but the alarm bells aren’t ringing.
“There’s one or two (games), like every team, that got away, but I’m always of the mindset, like I was six or seven weeks ago when we started to string them together, there’s no reason why you just can’t win every week.
“It’s a tough competition, and obviously off the back of (making the grand final) last year, the expectation is you’re there again, and the fact of the matter is we’re not, but the belief is still high.”
