THE EXTENSIVE injury list at the Western Bulldogs has shrunk by one with key forward Jack Redpath to make his return from a knee reconstruction in the VFL this weekend.

Redpath succumbed to his third ACL tear in last year's round 17 clash against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium, and the 26-year-old will play his first game in nine months at the same venue on Saturday afternoon when Footscray hosts Richmond in a curtain raiser to the clubs' AFL clash.

The full AFL injury list: round seven

The Kyneton product's return to the game is just one week after midfielder Mitch Wallis resumed in the VFL from a badly broken leg sustained in same match the hulking goalkicker wrecked his knee. 

Redpath ruptured his first two ACLs playing country football before being recruited to Whitten Oval with pick 62 in the 2012 NAB AFL Rookie Draft.

The out-of-contract forward has been training strongly in recent weeks and is likely to be given several games at state league level to prepare him for a return to the senior side.

With Redpath back in action, and fellow key forward Travis Cloke as little as two weeks away from returning from broken ribs, it will leave coach Luke Beveridge with plenty of tall attacking options, but also a selection headache. 

Throw the underperforming Tom Boyd into that mix and the premiership coach will have strong competition for spots for the forward-ruck role.

The Dogs' big man stocks will be bolstered further when No.1 ruckman Jordan Roughead returns from a serious hamstring injury after the club's mid-season bye in round 11.

In further good news, veteran defender Dale Morris (leg) and hard running forward Stewart Crameri (hip) should overcome their injuries in the next fortnight.