The Western Bulldogs have announced that defender Dale Morris will captain the Club against Carlton in the absence of injured skipper Robert Murphy on Saturday night.

With Vice-Captain Easton Wood again watching on from the sidelines, Morris will step up to take the reins for the first time in his 214-game career.

Morris has been a pillar of the Bulldogs' defence since being taken in the 2005 Rookie Draft, and alongside Murphy, Wood, Matthew Boyd and Marcus Bontempelli was named a part of the five-man leadership group at the beginning of the 2016 season.

The 33-year-old Morris is renowned for his mentoring role at the Club, and acting as an on-field coach for emerging defenders Joel Hamling, Fletcher Roberts, Marcus Adams and Zaine Cordy.  

Now in his 12^th season of senior football, Morris continues to be a key cog in the Bulldogs backline averaging 13 disposals and six marks per contest in 2016.