Fletcher Roberts’ consistency in the VFL has seen him elevated to the Western Bulldogs squad as one of five inclusions to the 25-man side.
As the Bulldogs prepare to face the GWS Giants in their final game of the year, Will Minson, Jason Tutt, Tom Young, Liam Jones and Fletcher Roberts have been added to the 25 man squad.]
FINAL SQUADS: View the extended squads ahead of Sunday's Bulldogs clash against GWS Giants.
The game marks two milestones for the Bulldogs in veteran Daniel Giansiracusa’s final outing and Koby Stevens’ 50th career game.
Jordan Roughead has withdrawal from last week’s team that took on Sydney and will not play the final game of the season due to a shoulder complaint, while Ayce Cordy has been omitted.
Assistant Coach Steven King said the GWS Giants are a talent laden side and while they are still highly inexperienced, they are ranked fifth in the league for clearances and third for rebound 50s.
“They have young players that do love a contest that are competitive but they also are highly talented and they actually love to run and carry and use their skills out of stoppages,” King said.
“If we can bring our best pressure game as well, try to pressure the footy and keep it in our forward half, that will go a long way to determining the game.”
“We just have to bring our best effort defensively and around the ball.”
The midfield coach also said it was important for the Bulldogs playing group to use Giansiracusa’s farewell game as motivation to give everything out on the field and finish on the right note.
“For them as a playing group, milestones are always significant but I think when you get given the opportunity to know it is someone’s last game and he has been around the Club for so long, it’s important to send them off the right way and make sure you give them as good a day as possible,” he said.
“We’ve had the build-up during the week showing Daniel our respects and I just hope that the players realise how important this game is and that they can do the job for him – I’m sure they will give it their best effort.”
ROUND 23 - Western Bulldogs vs GWS Giants
Sunday 31 August 2014, 4:40pm
Venue: Etihad Stadium
| Full back | L Picken | M Austin | S Higgins |
| Half back | R Murphy | D Morris | J Johannisen |
| Centreline | K Stevens | M Boyd | A Cooney |
| Half forward | J Macrae | S Crameri | M Bontempelli |
| Full forward | L Dahlhaus | J Stringer | D Giansiracusa |
| Followers | T Campbell | R Griffen | T Liberatore |
| Interchange (from) | J Tutt | F Roberts | L Jones |
| N Hrovat | W Minson | T Young | |
| L Jong |
