WESTERN Bulldogs star Adam Cooney is unlikely to play in Saturday’s blockbuster clash against Geelong after falling victim to the virus that has swept through Whitten Oval in recent weeks.

The Bulldogs trained on Wednesday, but were missing several star players who were told to stay at home having also contracted the contagious bug.

“Cooney, at this stage, looks like he might struggle I think,” coach Rodney Eade said, adding that up to three players could be ruled out for the same reason.

“[Robert] Murphy, [Dale] Morris, [Lindsay] Gilbee and [Brodie] Moles have all gone home but we think at least two or maybe three of those will be OK.

“There’s a few out there who have had it or have got signs of it, but they’re OK at the moment. I can’t really tell but I think most will be OK.”

Shaun Higgins missed last week’s win over Adelaide with the virus that affects the victim’s breathing, but Eade, who is coming down with the bug himself, believed he would also be right to face the Cats after completing the light session.  

Murphy was a late withdrawal for that game, but should come in for Saturday night’s match at the MCG.

Eade said the virus had its origins about three weeks ago when Tim Callan, who he described as the ‘host’, first started to show symptoms. It quickly spread through the club’s players and staff to leave Eade believing it was the worst he had seen in his time in footy.

In better news, young gun Callan Ward has recovered from a corked hip that has sidelined him for two weeks and will help fill the void left by any further withdrawals.

The Bulldogs’ cause would seem to be further hindered having played a gruelling match against the tenacious Crows in appalling conditions on the road, but Eade was confident that would not be a major factor.

“I think recovery has been OK,” he said.

“We haven’t done any training over the last two days because we cleared the place out, but I think most of the guys have reported pretty well body-wise.

“Obviously it was a tough game in tough conditions in the wet, but they seemed to have recovered OK so that part’s pretty good.”

Eade scoffed at suggestions Geelong was entering a down patch of form having been beaten by Collingwood last week.

“Obviously they’ve had a great record over the last three or four seasons and we certainly no how good a side they are,” he said.

“They don’t lose too many, so they’re obviously going to be smarting from that, but it’s more about us and they way we go about it. Our form’s been pretty good over the last eight weeks so I think we take a bit of confidence into the game.”