Tom Liberatore has emerged as an elite clearance player this season but Western Bulldogs Development Coach Ashley Hansen says the 21-year-old is beginning to add more dimensions to his game.

Liberatore has topped the league in clearances this season, despite just 48 games experience, but Hansen said the third year recruit is also becoming a valuable contributor outside of the contest.

“I think his development has really been his spread from the stoppage and his ball use [improve], with him being a really high metres gained player for us on the weekend,” Hansen said.

“He’s starting to get that balance from being such a contested in and under player from the stoppages — which we saw earlier in the year — and now he is starting to get that great spread from the contest too.”

Collecting over 30 possessions in three of the past six games, Liberatore has also influenced the scoreboard seven times – accounting for goals, behinds and goal assists.

While ranking first in clearances, contested possessions and tackles at the Club, the father-son recruit is also placed second in inside 50s and rebound 50s.

“I think we’ve all seen the [Brendon] Goddard tackle and what happened after that and that was just a consequence of Tom’s great intensity to leave the stoppage and make an influence defensively for us,” he said.

“I think the great part is that he’s not getting complacent in his work but he’s actually improving week to week.”