TOUCHES of Hawthorn, an encouraging performance from a key forward whose name wasn't Tom Boyd and signs Marcus Bontempelli could be set for an even bigger second season were all features of Luke Beveridge's coaching debut.

 

But his first win as Western Bulldogs coach was soured on Saturday at Whitten Oval with a left knee injury suffered by key midfielder Tom Liberatore.

 

Two goals and seven marks by Jack Redpath eased the focus on boom recruit Boyd, who gathered a modest 13 possessions as a high forward, while Bontempelli had an impressive 20 touches.

 

But Liberatore's injury midway through the opening quarter drastically diluted the Bulldogs' 0.12.17 (89) to 1.9.4 (67) win over a depleted Richmond outfit.

Afterwards, coach Luke Beveridge admitted it didn't look good but believed the young midfielder would bounce back if the worst was confirmed.  

 

"He's such an important person and player around the club and he's one of our new leaders so it's disappointing for him and everyone around because he's crucial to the fabric of our footy club," Beveridge said.

 

The 2014 best and fairest winner looked to be moving into some dangerous form when his left knee buckled midway through the first quarter of the Dogs' 22-point NAB Challenge victory.

 

The 22-year-old was chasing the ball to the boundary and planted his left foot as a tackle was laid by Tyrone Vickery.

 

He twisted his knee as he fell and landed at the feet of Richmond coach Damien Hardwick, who was coaching from the boundary and called for the umpires to halt play.

 

Liberatore will be sent for scans over the next few days to assess the damage.

 

The sight of the young star hobbling off and then icing his knee was a sad one for the sell-out crowd that packed Whitten Oval for the first game at the venue since round 21, 1997.

 

While the Dogs were nearly at full strength with Stewart Crameri the notable absentee, the Tigers were without a host of their first-choice players that included late omissions Reece Conca, Brandon Ellis, Shane Edwards and David Astbury.  

 

But they weren't disgraced and led for most of the last quarter before late goals to Jake Stringer, Bontempelli, Jack Macrae and Tory Dickson sealed the result.

Hardwick said he was "pretty happy" with his young team's performance and predicted all of the senior players who missed the game would appear in their next NAB Challenge hit-out on March 14 in Albury.

 

Steve Morris captained in the absence of Trent Cotchin, the backline was built around Jake Batchelor and Todd Elton with most of their regular defenders out, and Ty Vickery, Liam McBean and later Reece McKenzie shared the forward line.

 

Morris played as a lead-up forward and dragged Dale Morris down the ground many times as he ran to help out the backline.

 

Chris Knights was a positive with the former Crow kicking two goals after two injury-hit seasons and Nick Vlastuin appears to have assumed more responsibility in the backline ahead of his third season.

 

The Dogs were led for the first time by Robert Murphy, who played well across half-back before he went off at half-time, along with fellow veteran Dale Morris.

 

Beveridge would have also been buoyed by the work of Jack Macrae, who had 25 touches, and Stringer's last quarter.  

Western Bulldogs: There were signs of Hawthorn about them, which isn't surprising given the influence of new coach and former Hawks assistant Beveridge. There was patient ball movement and setting up, with Liam Picken trying out a new role as a lead-up forward. Boom youngster Marcus Bontempelli is already benefiting from a strong pre-season that saw him assert himself through the midfield. It's also clear the captaincy that burdened the departed Ryan Griffen so heavily won't have a similar impact on Murphy, who collected plenty of the ball across half-back and ended with 15 possessions in a half.

 

Richmond: Hard to glean a great deal from the Tigers given the players they had out but the kids are certainly keen to have a crack. Kane Lambert was the best of the rookies with 15 possessions while Taylor Hunt looked good and racked up plenty of the ball, Todd Elton played on Tom Boyd and seems to have embraced a role in defence, and the Tigers' backline built around Jake Batchelor with Alex Rance, Troy Chaplin and David Astbury out stood up well in the first half. Anthony Miles looks set to carry on his impressive 2014 form with a commanding midfield performance

 

Western Bulldogs: All eyes were on major pick up Tom Boyd, who lined up at half-forward. He had his first touch – a handball – in the opening minute but didn't make a huge impact on the scoreboard. Played high against Elton and spent time in the ruck opposite Shaun Hampson. Former Geelong defender Joel Hamling manned Steve Morris in the backline after half-time and took a strong contested mark in the third quarter in an encouraging debut, while Josh Prudden, who was drafted in 2012, had four touches before being cleaned up in a friendly fire collision with Koby Stevens in the last term that saw him stretchered off.

 

Richmond: Former Cat Taylor Hunt was the most prolific with 18 possessions but mature-aged midfielder Kane Lambert made sure he was noticed with seven touches in the first quarter alone. Another rookie in Jayden Short kicked a nice goal in the first quarter while defender Connor Menadue caught the eye with his incredibly slight frame as he touched the ball five times. Reece McKenzie came on in the third quarter and went to full-forward, where he lined up against Michael Talia. He missed a set shot from directly in front after Mitch Wallis was caught with the ball and didn't do much else. Daniel Butler had five possessions, Nathan Drummond nine touches off half-back and Jason Castagna 12.

 

Western Bulldogs: Nil

Richmond: Lloyd

 

Western Bulldogs: Redpath 2, Dickson 2, T. Boyd, Dahlhaus, Stevens, Wallis, Stringer, Bontempelli, Macrae, Honeychuch

Richmond: Knights 2, Arnot 2, Short, Vickery, Morris, Grigg, Gordon

 

Western Bulldogs: Macrae, Bontempelli, Murphy, Stevens, Dahlhaus, M. Boyd

Richmond: Miles, Morris, Hunt, Lambert, Arnot,

 

Western Bulldogs: Liberatore (knee)

Richmond: Nil

   

Reports: Nil

 

Umpires: Farmer, Edwards, Armstrong, B. Ryan

 

Official crowd: Approx. 9513 at Whitten Oval