INJURIES have forced three changes to what has been a settled Western Bulldogs line-up in recent weeks, but youngsters Andrejs Everitt and Brennan Stack are set to relish being let off the leash.
The pair comes into the side to face Fremantle on Saturday along with Lindsay Gilbee after Shaun Higgins (hamstring), Robert Murphy (hamstring) and Scott Welsh (ankle) were all sidelined following the loss to St Kilda.
"Getting the opportunity is what it's all about for those younger blokes and unfortunately sometimes you have to suffer a few injuries for those opportunities to present themselves," football manager James Fantasia said on Thursday.
"That's exactly what's happened here and I've got no doubt these boys will have a really good go at it on the weekend."
Stack will play the second game of his career after he debuted back in round 11, while Everitt will play his fifth of the season and his first since round eight.
Everitt has struggled to cement a regular berth since being taken at No. 11 in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft, but Fantasia backed him to grasp this chance.
"I think it's a good opportunity for him and we need to him to put his best foot forward," he said.
"Andrejs has had a few interruptions along the way with injury and so forth and he does have high expectations placed on him, but he sets high standards for himself and he's been working solidly away at getting up to the level."
Fantasia maintained Murphy and Welsh may miss as little as one week while Higgins will be out for two or three matches.
"In some ways it doesn't hurt for those guys to be having a rest either," Fantasia added.
"It's a forced rest, but we're pretty comfortable that they'll all be up and ready to go again soon."
After being a late withdrawal from last week's match for personal reasons, Gibee is a certain starter on Saturday.
"Obviously it has to do with his father's health which is still the case, but Gilbs is good to go after having the week off," he said.
"Lindsay's been back at the club all week and it's been good for him to have the boys get around him."
Wayde Skipper, Guy O'Keefe and Easton Wood are the emergencies for the match.
Western Bulldogs
B: Jarrod Harbrow, Brian Lake, Dale Morris
HB: Dylan Addison, Tom Williams, Ryan Hargrave
C: Nathan Eagleton, Matthew Boyd, Daniel Cross
HF: Lindsay Gilbee, Mitch Hahn, Brad Johnson
F: Josh Hill, Will Minson, Jason Akermanis
Foll: Ben Hudson, Ryan Griffen, Adam Cooney
I/C: Andrejs Everitt, Liam Picken, Brennan Stack, Callan Ward
Emg: Wayde Skipper, Guy O’Keefe, Easton Wood
In: Everitt, Gilbee, Stack
Out: Shaun Higgins (hamstring), Scott Welsh (ankle), Robert Murphy (hamstring)
