LUKE Beveridge will hand the senior coaching duties to assistant coaches Daniel Giansiracusa and Steven King for the Western Bulldogs' two JLT Community Series matches.

Giansiracusa, who is the stoppages coach, will take the reins for Saturday's clash against Hawthorn in Ballarat, while backline coach King gets his chance at the helm when the Dogs travel to Moe to face Collingwood on March 10.

Development manager Rohan Smith was in charge of the club's two AFLX hit-outs recently.

Beveridge said it was a great chance for Giansiracusa and King to lead their own team for the first time.

"It is a really important opportunity for 'Gia' and 'Kingy' to take the reins and experience the end-to-end week of being the senior coach," Beveridge said.

"Our coaches have thriving professional and personal relationships with our players and I have great faith that both our coaches and our players will enjoy the experience.

"Unfortunately, with just the two JLT games, (our other assistants) Joel (Corey) and Ash (Hansen) will need to wait until 2019 for their opportunity."

After missing last weekend's match simulation session at Whitten Oval, senior Bulldogs Tory Dickson, Mitch Wallis, Jackson Trengove and Clay Smith may return for the trip up the highway to face the Hawks. 

Beveridge said following the scratch match he would use the two JLT  games as conditioning for his best 22 and to build some momentum heading into a round-one clash with Greater Western Sydney in Canberra on March 25.

"We are treating both of the games as formal rehearsals for round one, really," Beveridge said on Saturday.

''We haven't got enough time to muck around. We have worked hard ... the boys have probably been more combative of each other as they have in previous pre-seasons, for various reasons. You hold your breath a little bit with that.

"We will prepare for a serious hit-out against Hawthorn. We will go hard. Hawthorn will, and we need to prepare for that. It's always, I don't know if exciting is the word, but you are on edge about your performances and how that shapes the year."

"We will be looking to do really, really well."

Ruckman Tom Campbell, third-year key defender Kieran Collins and rookie recruit Billy Gowers also sat out the session and could be considered.