Sometimes support can come from the most unlikely of places, and after injuring his knee during a NAB Challenge match in 2015, Tom Liberatore found it in then-first-year player Caleb Daniel.

Then in his fifth season, Liberatore was to be the newly arrived Daniel’s mentor during his first season of AFL football, but after going down with an injury, both men found the relationship became one of mutual support through the high and lows that are a part of each players’ journey.

Liberatore has picked up right where he left of in 2016, averaging 21.6 touches per game, and 5.6 tackles,  but Daniel says the two of them grew especially close during 24-year old LIberatore’s year out of the game.

“It was pretty tough without him on the field last year when Tom went through the ACL [injury] and I think I helped him out in that sense, Daniel reveals in an upcoming episode Guardians of the Guernsey," a web series filmed exclusively for westernbulldogs.com.au

“[We] have a really good relationship, I look at him as a mentor, and look up to him with what he’s able to do with the football and that sort of stuff. 

“I go over to his house regularly for a dinner and what-not and just chew the fat and catch-up.” 

Daniel was joined by former Bulldog number 35 Steven Kretiuk who talked about the importance of a mentor, and for him it was Club legend Doug Hawkins who took him under his wing when he first got to the Club.

“I think he identified some of the local boys that come from the WRFL, he sort of took us under his wing a bit more because of that affiliation with Braybrook," he said.

“It was tough early on, but once I go to senior footy, most of the guys were really welcoming and they bring you into their group and really do as much as they can to make you feel welcome.

“[But] it was good to get someone like Hawk help me out in the early days.”

The Guardians of the Guernsey featuring Caleb Daniel and Steven Kretiuk will premiere on westernbulldogs.com.au on 1 June, at 8pm.