The Western Bulldogs were "rocked" by the shock news that youngster Aiden O'Driscoll hung up the boots due to a nasty concussion.
O'Driscoll - who was selected with Pick 55 in last year's National Draft - suffered a knock to the head at training in January and subsequently made a call on his career after meeting with the AFL's concussion panel.
Coach Luke Beveridge was emotional during Thursday's press conference, saying the outcome has affected the entire club.
"It's heartbreaking when you consider the young fella with the AFL world at his feet," Beveridge said.
"Full of promise, won our time trial... was an outstanding young player and athlete and in a training session, copped a heavy knock in January.
"Since then he hasn't been training with the group, waiting for independent assessment... and got the advice that he needs to hang up the boots."
Beveridge also spoke on the morale of the ground amid such devastating news, saying the long-term health outweighs the immediacy of AFL football.
"It's hard to measure it without asking (the players) but it seems like it's in the right place," Beveridge said.
"It has been all year. The Aiden situation has rocked them. They care for each other deeply... it affects players in different ways and obviously, the bane of concussion ain't going away and we just have to come together as a code to make sure we steer it in the right direction.
"It's a reminder that footy mortality is not forever but it can finish pretty quickly and it's tragic in regards to Aiden's circumstances."
Fears have also set in at the Kennel surrounding Tom Liberatore's future regarding his checkered history with concussion as he currently is sidelined due to his second episode this season.
"We haven't had any instruction (regarding an independent panel)," Beveridge said.
"The probably the best thing to do with Tom is we'll give updates from our medical experts... he's in today and he'll be training.
"But as far as the prospect of what's coming up in regards to whether or not he's returning, I'll leave that to the medical team."
All focus turns to the weekend and the upcoming clash, with the Bulldogs set to face modern rivals GWS in a crucial clash at Engie Stadium.
Expecting another fiery encounter, the two clubs have a "colourful" history that stretches back to 2014 when Tom Boyd and Ryan Griffen switched clubs in a massive trade.
"There's been plenty of colour in the rivalries," the 2016 premiership coach said.
"There have been some great games between our two clubs and some personal rivalry at times.
"It's an interesting exercise as a coach when you come up to these games because you keep thinking about what are the contemporaries, the young guys and those who've been here for a while, what do they really think about these rivalries?
"Do they get caught up in the history? Or are the present and the future really in the forefront of their mind?
"And I think the latter, and so as far as building it up into anything it isn't, we're not going to do that.
"But we haven't been able to jump a steeple like them in recent times so what another great opportunity to test ourselves."
Fresh off a 91-point domination against Richmond, Beveridge hinted at no changes to the line-up despite some impressive form in the VFL.
Ryley Sanders, Caleb Daniel and Rory Lobb recorded big numbers in the reserves but are unlikely to regain their spot in the senior side.
Western Bulldogs-GWS rivalry
The bitterness between the two clubs began in 2014 when former No.1 Pick and Giant forward Tom Boyd and Bulldog champion Ryan Griffen swapped colours in a massive trade.
Ironically, it reignited when the pair faced off in the 2016 Preliminary Final when the Bulldogs eliminated GWS by six points to play in the decider against Sydney.
Bad boy Toby Greene hit the front of the papers when he made contact with Luke Dahlhaus' face with his boot, surprisingly avoiding suspension although copped two weeks for punching Caleb Daniel in 2017.
Another final between the clubs would feature in 2019, as the Giants would return the favour with a 58-point victory in a fierce and violent contest.
Greene was once again centred around serious misconduct as he attempted to gauge Marcus Bontempelli's eyes in retaliation for his action against Nick Haynes which resulted in a fractured larynx.
The following year, Hayes (instead of captain Stephen Coniglio) was sent to do the coin toss with Bontempelli in a clear message sent by the Giants and subsequently saw 15 players cited by the Match Review Panel with fines totalling $7,750.
Youngster Finn Callaghan, who only joined the club ahead of the 2022 season, said the rivalry between the Bulldogs and GWS is very much alive.
โI think a lot of the players from 2015-16 have sort of moved on but I feel we still definitely love playing against the Dogs,โ Callaghan said.
โI feel like there's still a rivalry there, it's a big game for us. The Swans are our main rival, but the Bulldogs come to mind after that so it's a big game that we always get up for and we are ready to go against them on Saturday.
"We don't like the Doggies too much.โ
Given the history between the two clubs, wouldn’t that make for a genuine “rivalry” ……. instead of the pale, insipid pretence that Sydney is West Sydney’s “main rival” in a poorly construed and asinine attempt to copy the very real “rivalry” in the Derby (WA) and the Showdown (SA)….. each of which is definitely NOT because the two clubs are simply in the same state.
That and the equally idiotic “Q Clash” is just cheap (strong emphasis on the word “cheap”) sales garbage from the afl monikered vfl making things up to reach bonus triggering KPI’s.