Western Bulldogs are backing Adam Treloar and Laitham Vandermeer to play in Friday night's elimination final as teammates circle for a spot in the final 23.
Treloar has been managing a calf issue and will need to pass main training with "flying colours" to get the nod from coach Luke Beveridge, while Rhylee West and Buku Khamis wait in the wings.
The same goes for small forward Vandermeer (hamstring), with reports indicating he trained inside for the majority of Wednesday's session before joining his teammates on the track.
โWe've still got a couple of players โ Vanders and Adam (Treloar) who we think are going to be OK, but they've still got to get through the training session with flying colours,โ Beveridge said.
โAdam has (been on a modified program) โ Adam's a real pro, his cross-training is always in order, and I wouldn't be concerned after a long year about anything fitness-wise on the cardio side of things.
โI'm pretty sure they'll strap his calf, and he had his calf strapped during the game in Ballarat, but towards the end of last week he was feeling pretty good, and his powers of recuperation are pretty strong โฆ we anticipate he's going to play.โ
Small forward Arthur Jones replaced West in the Round 24 side as the latter underwent surgery on a broken jaw.
The pair played in the VFL last weekend in a bid for a spot in Beveridge's side alongside James Harmes (37 touches, one goal, nine clearances) and Riley Garcia (28 possessions and seven clearances).
Veteran and 2016 Norm Smith medallist Jason Johannisen also returned to football after persistent hamstring and calf issues and will put his name up for a recall.
It comes as Beveridge was questioned why superstar midfielder Bailey Smith has not been considered for selection despite Dan McStay and Sam Docherty making quick returns from their knee reconstructions.
Smith is largely believed to be departing the Kennel at the end of the season.
The 23-year-old tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in December, around the same time as McStay (returned in Round 19), while Docherty injured his in Opening Round (March) and is making a return to the field on Saturday.
"Our recuperation is usually 11 months," Beveridge said.
"David Young is our club's surgeon, who has just done an absolutely outstanding job for such a long period of time and put most of us back together again here and there.
"And it's an 11-month turnaround. Our medical department, that's tried and true, makes sure the players are ready. We don't want recurrence.
"Bailey wasn't operated on by Youngy' but we're sticking to our 11-month protocols, because we want to make sure (he) is okay to have a bright future in the game.
โMaybe with Sam Docherty, and I'm not sure about Dan McStay, but I think maybe you're prepared to take a bit more of a risk at the end of your career.
โI think if you ask the Blues, that's probably what they're doing, and I think everyone understands that (decision).โ
In his first interview since tearing his ACL, last week, Smith shared the same sentiment as Beveridge, eyeing a long career in the AFL.
Although he kept the door ajar for a return if the Bulldogs make the grand final.
โI want to have a long career, it's not worth the risk versus reward. Obviously, a different story if it's a grand final,โ Smith said.
โI'm just going to be their cheerleader for hopefully the finals ahead.โ
