Western Bulldogs’ star player Jack Macrae’s availability for Sunday’s match against Melbourne remains uncertain, with senior coach Luke Beveridge aiming to field a fully prepared team for the club’s season opener.
Macrae has been dealing with hamstring issues throughout the pre-season, severely limiting his participation in the team’s practice matches. Instead, he featured in a VFL match with restricted minutes.
This situation has raised concerns about Macrae’s readiness for Round 1, with Beveridge indicating on Monday that the three-time All-Australian may not be guaranteed to play against the Demons.
Beveridge informed the media that Macrae may not have had sufficient preparation during the pre-season to justify his selection. Reflecting on the midfielder’s recent VFL performance, the premiership coach stated, “He did reasonably well considering the circumstances. He had a solid outing, but he’s a bit behind in terms of match practice.”
“At the beginning of the pre-season, I emphasized that the lineup chosen for Round 1 against Melbourne would be fully prepared in terms of match fitness and endurance until the final whistle. We’ll evaluate Jack’s situation as we typically do, taking into account his experience and contributions throughout his career.”
“If we assess that he hasn’t reached the required level of readiness based on his recent preparation, then it’s highly probable that he won’t make the team.”
In the event of Macrae’s potential absence, debutant Ryley Sanders is likely to step in. Sanders was selected by the Dogs as their first pick in last November’s draft.
Sanders has showcased his talent throughout the summer at Whitten Oval, notably with a 30-disposal performance against Hawthorn earlier this month, indicating a promising pre-season for the young player.
Beveridge even stated that Sanders has been the most impressive rookie he’s seen at the Kennel during his tenure as coach, strongly suggesting that Sanders will feature against Melbourne.
“I’ve compared him to some of our historical players who showed potential in their first year and speculated on how far ahead they might be,” Beveridge commented on the Pick 6 selection. “He’s significantly ahead of any first-year player I’ve seen at our club.”
“Is it unexpected? Perhaps, but it’s certainly a welcome one. Sam Power, our list manager at the Western Bulldogs, put in considerable effort during negotiations to secure a favorable position for us to bring Ryley in. To successfully accomplish that is quite a triumph for us.”
“We believe he has immense potential, and we’re delighted that he’s chosen to develop with us.”
Beveridge mentioned that young tall Sam Darcy will be utilized in a capacity that best complements the team, with the father-son Bulldog having experimented as a secondary ruck option to provide competition for veteran Rory Lobb.
While also downplaying any concerns regarding the fitness of primary ruckman Tim English, Beveridge hinted at the possibility of using Darcy as a supplementary ruck-forward alternative.
The Western Bulldogs will confront Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday at 1:00pm (AEDT).