It was a sight for sore Bulldog eyes, the return of star midfielder Tom Liberatore to football after a knee injury suffered during last year’s NAB Challenge forced him to miss the entire 2015 season.

Liberatore was named as one of the best in the Dogs' intra club clash on Saturday and it was teammate Ling Jong who summed up the feelings of the Bulldog faithful when he told westernbulldogs.com.au after the match that it was ‘so good to see him back out there again.’

“I think everyone felt that way, the fans as well, we were just really happy to see him out there,” Jong said.

AFL.com.au’s Ryan Davidson said that Liberatore made a ‘seamless’ return from his injury, ‘starring’ in the Bulldogs match simulation session at VU Whitten Oval.

“In warm conditions, the 23-year-old was back to his playmaking best, winning plenty of the footy while showing no effects of the injury that sidelined him for the past 12 months,” he wrote.

Ben Waterworth of Fox Sports was equally impressed with Liberatore’s performance, remarking that he’d made an “astoundingly seamless” return to the field.

The Herald Sun’s Glenn Macfarlane agreed, also describing the star midfielder’s return to the game as ‘seamless,’ and a  ‘strong display that delighted the coaching staff and big turnout of fans who attended the match and family day.’

Luke Beveridge probably spoke for the whole football community when he told the 4000 strong crowd after the match that as a coach ‘you hold your breath a bit, but it’s great to see Tommy Liberatore get through today, and he did really well.’

Assistant coach Rohan Smith, speaking to gathered media immediately after the match said that it was more than just the 23 year old’s return that was pleasing, but the way he went about it, attacking the ball like the Liberatore that won the Sutton Medal in 2014.   

“It was so good to see that, he said.

“For such a good player to miss for a year, he hasn’t missed a beat, and then he comes out today and plays like that.

“I am sure all the Bulldogs supporters are really happy and the coaching staff is happy too.”