Emerging forward Josh Schache will play his 50^th AFL game on Sunday afternoon.

The 21-year-old returns to the Western Bulldogs line-up after missing a week due to concussion, and will bring up the milestone against his former side, the Brisbane Lions, at the Gabba.

Schache played 29 games across two seasons for the Lions, before the Bulldogs secured the exciting young tall in a trade at the end of 2017.

He’s shown plenty of promise in his two years in red, white and blue, and is starting to make his presence felt at AFL level in a tall forward partnership with fellow young gun Aaron Naughton.

"I pride my game on making a big contest,” Schache told AFL.com.au earlier this year.

“I think all my teammates love it when the big bloke goes and crashes the pack and brings the ball to ground. That’s something that I’ll keep growing on."

Schache’s best in 2019 has helped the Bulldogs to some important victories.

His four-goal haul against Hawthorn in round two was important, as the Bulldogs came from behind in a final-quarter onslaught, while his three goals in the wet against Port Adelaide on the road a few weeks ago were pivotal.

A big pre-season has helped him grow in confidence.

“In the off-season I went away with the goal to put on a bit more weight,” Schache told westernbulldogs.com.au on the cusp of the 2019 season.

“That was the goal… just to put on a bit more size to play that position that I’m playing at the moment down forward a bit better, and be a little bit stronger in the contest.”

It hasn’t all gone to plan for Schache in 2019, but he’s showed plenty of fight.

He played the first four games at AFL level, before spending the next two months at Footscray to develop his game.

But he responded with back-to-back three-goal games on his AFL return, against Collingwood and the Power.

On a ground he knows well, Schache will no doubt be looking to have an impact as the Bulldogs chase a win against the Lions and look to stay in touch with the top eight.