Western Bulldogs star Adam Treloar is no certainty to face Hawthorn in next Friday's elimination final at the MCG.
Treloar battled with a calf issue during Sunday's win over GWS but managed to see out the game despite multiple concerns during the game in Ballarat.
While the club is confident Treloar will be fit and firing in time for their clash with the Hawks given the extended turnaround, the Dogs are giving their ball magnet the needed time to prove his fitness in time.
โAdam Treloar had some calf tightness in the warmup of the game on the weekend,โ Head of Sports Medicine, Chris Bell said.
โHe was able to get through the game which was a great result.
โWe will use this weekend off wisely to freshen him up, and confirm his availability for the Elimination Final following our main training session next Wednesday.โ
Utility Laitham Vandermeer has avoided structural damage to his hamstring after suffering tightness during the Round 24 victory.
Vandermeer was subbed out of the game but will be a chance to play in the Bulldogs' next game.
โLaitham had the onset of some localised hamstring tightness after a chase down tackle through the middle of the ground in the first quarter,โ Bell said.
โBeing a high-speed athlete, we didn't want to take any risk with Laitham, so substituted him out of the game.
โIn some good news, scans have since cleared him of any serious structural damage to his hamstring muscle.
โWe will work through a process with Laith over the next ten days to confirm his availability for the Elimination Final.โ
Meanwhile, 2016 Norm Smith Medal winner Jason Johannisen is a step closer to returning from hamstring and calf injuries that have derailed a large portion of his year.
Johannisen will need to prove his fitness at the Dogs' main session this week in a bid to potentially play in the club's VFL qualifying final against Brisbane.
โJason is nearing a return following a frustrating last couple of months,โ Bell said.
โHe originally strained his hamstring after slipping and overstretching during a training drill.
โWhen he was about to return to play, he suffered a complex calf strain that has required a long period in rehabilitation.
โJJ has worked incredibly hard to get himself back in the frame to return to play.
โIf he gets through main training this week, we look forward to watching him pull the jumper on again this weekend.โ
Johannisen hasn't played since Round 9 against Richmond.
