TOM LIBERATORE'S surprise off-season cameo in south-east Asia was limited to an entertaining five minutes on the field, according a Vietnam Swans spokesman. 

The Swans have played down the premiership-winning midfielder's involvement in last weekend's AFL Asian Championships after his AFL club, the Western Bulldogs, expressed their concerns. 

Vietnam Swans president Grant Keys said Liberatore took the field to help out a Macau Lightning side short of numbers in their match against Japan Goannas.

"Straight after kicking a left-foot snap from inside the square, 'Libba' immediately retired to the sidelines to cheer the team on, showing his class with what will go down as one of the most memorable goals in Asian Champs history!" Keys wrote on the club's website. 

He said spectators were delighted to see Liberatore and Bulldogs teammate Luke Dahlhaus make an appearance at the tournament.

Dahlhaus is understood to have not taken to the field. 

Keys also thanked the pair for supporting AFL in Asia.

Bulldogs list manager Jason McCartney on Tuesday expressed concern about Liberatore playing in the off-season considering the star 24-year-old missed the 2015 season with a ruptured ACL.

He said the club would make contact with him while he's overseas to tell him not to play anymore footy in the off-season.

"Young Tom shouldn't be doing those things," McCartney told Melbourne radio station RSN. 

"He loves a good time, but yeah, you probably need to be a touch smarter."