WESTERN Bulldogs swingman Josh Bruce is well ahead of schedule and could return to action in the next fortnight, while inside bull Tom Liberatore is on track to face Greater Western Sydney in Canberra this weekend. 

Bruce was initially facing the prospect of not returning until after the Bulldogs’ mid-season bye in round 15, but the forward-turned-defender has made strong progress in the past week to put himself in contention to be available for the round 10 clash against Adelaide at Mars Stadium.

The 30-year-old suffered multiple broken ribs and significant sternum damage following a collision against Port Adelaide in Gather Round, returning to Melbourne to meet with several specialists while the club travelled on to Perth for the round six clash against Fremantle. 

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But after training with the main group for much of Tuesday morning’s session in Braybrook, there is growing confidence the former St Kilda and Greater Western Sydney utility will be cleared to play in the coming weeks. 

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Bruce moved to a role in defence over summer after the arrival of Rory Lobb and the continued development of Jamarra Ugle-Hagan limited his opportunities in attack, playing the first five games of the season before the hit at Adelaide Oval. 

Tim O’Brien, rather than Ryan Gardner, has filled the hole left by Bruce’s injury in the fortnight since and performed strongly, but Bruce had made an impression in his first stint behind the ball since his first season at St Kilda in 2014. 

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Liberatore missed the 29-point win over Hawthorn in Marcus Bontempelli’s 200th game last Saturday, after suffering a concussion late in the road win against Fremantle in round six. 

The 30-year-old trained at Skinner Reserve on Tuesday and is expected to be available for the clash against the Giants in the nation’s capital. 

Liberatore still needs to exit concussion protocols at training on Thursday before he is cleared to return. 

Tom Liberatore is chaired off Adelaide Oval after the Port Adelaide and Western Bulldogs round 5 clash, April 15, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

The Western Bulldogs have a relatively clean bill of health after seven rounds, with Bruce and Liberatore the only two clear best-22 players who missed last weekend. 

Latham Vandermeer was on track to play in round one before fracturing his leg in February then suffering a rib injury in his VFL return. The 24-year-old is expected to start his season again in a few weeks.

Back-up ruckman Jordon Sweet didn’t play on the weekend due to a bruised heel that saw second-year tall Sam Darcy return to the 26-man squad as coverage for Tim English. 

Sweet is on track to return this weekend, while Hayden Crozier will need to prove his fitness later in the week after dealing with an ankle issue last round. 

After starting the season with a winless first fortnight, the Western Bulldogs are just outside the eight on percentage after winning four of their past five games, around a hard-fought loss to Port Adelaide.