WESTERN Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli is on track to return for the new Easter Sunday night clash against St Kilda, while James Harmes has been cleared of a serious foot injury.
Bontempelli has missed the first five rounds of the season after suffering a complex calf injury in the AAMI Community Series match against Hawthorn at the end of February.
The six-time All-Australian remained in Melbourne while the club travelled to Adelaide for Gather Round and completed an extensive training session at the Whitten Oval on Saturday morning
Bontempelli will need to prove his fitness at Thursday’s main session to be given the green light to return in round six, while the club will keep monitoring how he recovers from each session.
Luke Beveridge’s side have won two of five games to start the year and led at half-time in losses against Collingwood in round two and Brisbane on Saturday.
Harmes was substituted out of Saturday’s 21-point loss to the Lions at Norwood Oval in the opening minutes after injuring his foot.
The club initially feared the former Melbourne midfielder-forward had suffered a serious foot injury, but scans on Sunday cleared Harmes of a long-term setback.
The club initially feared the former Melbourne midfielder-forward had suffered a serious foot injury, but scans on Monday cleared Harmes of bone damage.
The 29-year-old has played the first five games of 2025 and is expected to miss in the short-term. The club will have a clearer timeline later in the week.
James Harmes during the warm-up ahead of the match between the Western Bulldogs and Brisbane at Norwood Oval in round five, 2025. Picture: Getty Images
All-Australian midfielder Adam Treloar is at least a few weeks away while he builds up his conditioning after a series of calf strains over the past four months.
Sunday night football will be showcased across the next few months as part of the AFL’s new broadcast deal.
The third edition of Gather Round ended with a Sunday night blockbuster between Port Adelaide and Hawthorn ahead of the Easter Sunday fixture.
Brisbane will host Gold Coast in a Sunday night QClash in round eight ahead of a public holiday in Queensland.
Carlton and Essendon play on King’s Birthday Eve in June, while West Coast hosts two games that will be prime time Sunday night on the east coast before the fixture after round 15 is finalised.
