Dogs bruised but coach bursting with pride

Luke Beveridge says the Western Bulldogs did themselves proud despite giving Port Adelaide a five-goal head start and suffering six injuries during the match.

A dejected Western Bulldogs side.

The Western Bulldogs suffered a horrid injury toll in their 57-point AFL loss to Port Adelaide. (AAP)

Western Bulldogs captain Easton Wood faces a long stint on the sidelines, where he will be joined for the next few weeks by big man Tom Boyd and utility Lukas Webb.

Brownlow Medal contender Jack Macrae is in doubt for next Saturday's clash with North Melbourne but superstar Marcus Bontempelli is expected to be available while small forward Toby McLean's sore shoulder will be monitored.

That's the tale of the tape from the Dogs' horrific night of injuries in a carnage-filled 57-point loss to Port Adelaide on Thursday.

"We need to assess it but Easton will be out for a long time, I'd say," Beveridge confirmed after the Bulldogs skipper jagged his right hamstring shortly before half-ime.

"Jack Macrae (has a) tight (hamstring which) wasn't too bad but we just couldn't risk it (playing him after halftime).

"Lukas Webb - broken thumb. He'll need surgery on that tomorrow to get it fixed so he'll be out for two or three weeks.

"Tom Boyd, compound dislocation of a finger so he'll be out.

"Toby got through - he's just a tough bugger and probably shouldn't have been out there after he copped that first hit (from Robbie Gray in the opening seconds).

"I think Marcus will be alright after that hyperextension of his knee."

After conceding the first five goals, not being able to call on Wood and Macrae after halftime and enduring more key injuries along the way, the final margin against an in-form Power line-up spoke volumes for the fight of the undermanned Bulldogs.

"If we carve the first quarter off and some junk time goals, it was a reasonably close game," Beveridge said.

"It was a pretty nightmarish night as far as the injury toll went.

"We had players out there who shouldn't have been.

"Two men down for most of the game, I thought our boys had a real go."


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Source: AAP


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Dogs bruised but coach bursting with pride | SBS News