FRESHLY minted All-Australian Adam Treloar is confident he will be fit to line up in the Western Bulldogs’ elimination final against Hawthorn despite doubt over a nagging calf issue.<\/p>\n
Treloar was named in the AFL’s team of the year for the first time on Thursday night after a stellar home-and-away season in which he averaged 31.7 disposals and 5.8 clearances a game.<\/p>\n
The prolific on-baller is a key cog in Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge’s premiership plans, but played with a tight calf against GWS in round 24 and underwent scans earlier this week.<\/p>\n
While the scans cleared Treloar of a muscle strain, the 31-year-old missed the Bulldogs’ training session at Whitten Oval on Thursday.<\/p>\n
He plans to make the most of the pre-finals bye week before ramping up his program ahead of the knockout clash with Hawthorn at the MCG next Friday night.<\/p>\n
“It is nice to have a week off and let the legs relax just to put myself in a position to train next week and hopefully train freely and play on Friday,” Treloar told media at the AFL Awards ceremony.<\/p>\n
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan also missed Thursday’s training session, though a club spokesperson said the mobile forward was not in doubt for the elimination final at this stage.<\/p>\n
The Dogs’ 2016 North Smith medallist Jason Johannisen (calf) and small forward Rhylee West (jaw) are also pushing to make themselves available for the finals.<\/p>\n
Now at his third club, Treloar has been part of five previous finals campaigns and played in losing season deciders with both Collingwood (2018) and the Bulldogs (2021).<\/p>\n
The 253-game midfielder is relishing another shot at premiership glory as the Bulldogs enter the finals against a Hawthorn side in red-hot form, with a crowd of more than 90,000 expected at a sold-out MCG.<\/p>\n
“It’s the reason why you play the game,” Treloar said.<\/p>\n
“I’ve been around long enough and been a part of finals campaigns where you know how hard it is to actually get there.<\/p>\n
“It’s a whole new ball game now and I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to play in front of a sell-out crowd against arguably the in-form team of the competition.<\/p>\n
“It’s going to be a great challenge for us but one we’re really looking forward to.”<\/p>\n
Treloar was named on the interchange bench in an All-Australian team captained by Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli.<\/p>\n
Bontempelli earned his sixth All-Australian blazer, while Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn became just the 10th player to be selected in the team of the year at least seven times.<\/p>\n
Minor premiers Sydney were the best represented club with four players selected: Errol Gulden, Nick Blakey, Chad Warner and Isaac Heeney.<\/p>\n
Each of the other seven finalists had at least one representative, while the Swans were the only club with more than two.<\/p>\n
“It’s very humbling and I’m very grateful,” Treloar said.<\/p>\n
“It’s cool to be in my 13th season at the ripe old age of 31 and receiving my first All-Australian blazer.<\/p>\n
“It’s pretty surreal to be up here with the superstars of the competition.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FRESHLY minted All-Australian Adam Treloar is confident he will be fit to line up in the Western Bulldogs’ elimination final against Hawthorn despite doubt over a nagging calf issue. Treloar was named in the AFL’s team of the year for the first time on Thursday night after a stellar home-and-away season in which he averaged […]<\/p>\n