BIG WILL Minson is back in Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge's good books.

The career of the 2013 All Australian ruckman looked to be at the crossroads late last month when he copped a four-week ban for making contact with an umpire in the VFL.

But the 30-year-old caught a break when he had the suspension overturned on appeal.

He was promptly promoted into the Bulldogs' AFL side and responded with a standout performance against Giants' star ruckman Shane Mumford.

Saturday night's clash against the Brisbane Lions at Etihad Stadium will be Minson's third in succession back at the top level after Beveridge had preferred younger ruckman Ayce Cordy for most of the opening two months of the 2015 campaign.

"We haven't really settled it, but having said that, we're probably as settled as we have been going into this week with (Jordan Roughead) and Will," Beveridge said on Friday.

"Tommy Boyd will play a bit of time in there at different stages over the back end of the year just to mix up his game.

"That won't mean that we won't go to other things because versatility in our side is important.

"But getting back to Will, we're really happy with the spike in his performance.

"He's turned his mind to other dimensions of his game and he's really held his end up."

The Bulldogs will welcome back boom youngster Marcus Bontempelli, who was rested from the Bulldogs' last-start loss to Port Adelaide.

But they will be without forward Stewart Crameri, who rolled an ankle at training on Thursday.

"He might be all right on Sunday but it's too late in the week to muck around so we've pulled him out of the side and he'll have a week off," said Beveridge.

The 11th-placed Bulldogs and 16th-ranked Lions are both coming off the bye, with Beveridge acknowledging the Lions have been harder hit than most with injuries this year.

The Lions will be strengthened this week by the return of former skipper Jed Adcock, utility Jack Redden and key forward Daniel McStay.