WESTERN Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge hopes player-umpire relations aren't affected following the Will Minson umpire contact saga. 

The VFL Appeals Board sensationally overturned Minson's four-match suspension and issued the 30-year-old with a severe reprimand and a $7500 fine on Thursday night.

The decision allows Minson to return to the senior side to face Greater Western Sydney at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

"There should be a strong rapport between players and umpires," said Beveridge.

"I've touched umpires on the shoulder and put my arm around them at different times and I'm sure there's always a place for that and that shouldn't change.

"Whether we need to change the wording in the rules I don't know, but the great thing is everyone will learn from it and hopefully the game is better for it."

With Minson free to play, Beveridge insists his selection to face the Giants wasn't solely to combat the size and physicality of in-form Giant Shane Mumford.

"It's played some role, some part of our decision making, (but) not in total," said Beveridge 

"He's gone back and worked on his team defensive stuff and the offensive side of his game as well as his ruck craft and there's been a good balance in the games he's played. 

"He's earned his spot back and the balance of the team going into tomorrow is really good." 

The clash against the Giants will mark the first time former skipper Ryan Griffen will face the Bulldogs since he quit the club last year, but Beveridge insists it hasn't been a distraction for his young side. 

"What we've talked about is our recent performances, need to be better, and it doesn't matter if its GWS or Port Adelaide next week, we're looking for a more consistent approach and a more consistent effort across four quarters," he said.

And that lack of consistency over the past month has seen the Bulldogs' match committee wield the axe, with Lachie Hunter, Lin Jong, Ayce Cordy and Michael Talia all dropped.

A beneficiary of the changes is Joel Hamling, who will make his AFL debut after joining the Dogs last year following three seasons at Geelong.

And it will a baptism of fire for the 22-year-old, with the key defender set to spend time on one of the game's genuine superstars. 

"Yeah, he'll play on Jeremy Cameron at different points, so he'll have his hands full," said Beveridge.