Western Bulldogs ruckman Tim English remains a chance to play again this season.
English is set to miss the next two games against Carlton and Melbourne with a medial ligament strain in his left knee, but remains a live chance to play in a wildcard final.
Carlton's win against St Kilda on Sunday night, confirmed the Dogs are a lock to qualify for a wildcard final, giving the club a two-week buffer to work on a plan to get English right.
The Bulldogs have stopped short of officially ruling him out for the season.
It is looking increasingly likely the Dogs will have to travel to Adelaide for a knockout wildcard final.
English suffered the injury late in Thursday night's loss to North Melbourne.
He hurt his opposite knee earlier in the season, exposing the Dogs' lack of ruck depth.
While mid-season draftee Caleb May has obvious promise, he is still learning his craft and not AFL-hardened.
The Dogs are more likely to again turn to Rory Lobb to fill the void in the final two matches.
The club is saying English will be "monitored over coming weeks" before a return to availability is determined.
“In the fourth quarter, an opposition player fell across the outside of Tim English's left knee,” head of sports medicine at the Bulldogs Chris Bell said.
“This mechanism has stressed the structures on the inside of his knee joint and damaged the medial ligament in his knee.
“Tim isn't expected to return to play within the remaining home-and-away season games."
