WESTERN Bulldogs superstar Marcus Bontempelli is set to play his first game of the season against the Suns after checking in for the team's flight to the Gold Coast on Wednesday morning.

The Bulldogs midfielder has been hampered by an ankle complaint following a pre-season camp in Mooloolaba in January and did not play in the Dogs' two pre-season losses to Melbourne and the Brisbane Lions.

However, he has shaken off those injury concerns and will return for Thursday evening's clash with Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium.

Bontempelli was named to play against the Lions but was a late withdrawal from that game as the Bulldogs remained cautious with his recovery.

"He's been going along really well and he trained really well last week, so it'll be great to have him back out there," teammate Clay Smith said.

"He's an amazing player and probably one of the best players at his age to come through the game that I've ever seen, and he's a good person to have out there alongside you because you definitely walk taller."

The Bulldogs will field their strongest team of the pre-season, minus injured ruckmen Jordan Roughead (hamstring) and Tom Campbell (ankle), while Dale Morris will also sit out.

Smith said it was important at this point of the season to start building cohesion heading into a round one matchup with Collingwood on March 24.

"We started off a bit later coming into our pre-season, so things took a little bit longer and we had a few players missing in the first few (games), but it's good to get a good strong team back together and prepare for round one," he said.

Smith said he has "enjoyed" his first pre-season in four years after a long injury history, which has seen him rupture the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee three times during his career.

"It's nice to get a full block and prepare my body for a full season of footy," Smith said.

"It's been enjoyable, which is a weird comment to make about the pre-season. I was a little bit sore in the back last week but I pulled up fine and I'm just looking forward to the season ahead."

He said he would provide all the assistance possible to teammate Roarke Smith after the rookie tore his ACL for the second time in his short career against the Lions.

"I spoke to him again last night and just checked in on him. I'll probably go back out and see him out in Sunbury when we get back from Gold Coast and take him some nice food," Smith said.

"There's not a whole lot you can say but you've just got to put some love and support around him and keep him in as healthier frame of mind as you can.

"You know you can get back, it's just getting through that time."