Western Bulldogs defender Bailey Dale will miss at least the next five weeks of football after suffering a shoulder injury over the weekend.
Scans confirmed a minor fracture from the incident in the win over West Coast after Dale fell awkwardly late in the contest.
“In the final three minutes of the match, Bailey landed awkwardly in a marking contest, causing an acute injury to his shoulder,” Head of Sports Medicine, Chris Bell said.
“Scans have confirmed that he has a minor fracture that was caused by the injury mechanism.
“Having consulted specialists, Bailey will not require surgical management for this injury, however a conservative approach will be taken to allow the fracture to heal.
“Bailey will miss at least the next five weeks of football.”
Tim English and Ryley Sanders will need to prove their fitness ahead of Sunday's clash with the Suns. English missed the West Coast win with a back complaint, while Sanders hurt his hand and was sidelined over the weekend.
The Bulldogs sit a game and percentage outside the top six, but can't afford a slip-up in the final stretch of the season.
Dale's injury follows defensive recruit Connor Budarick being sidelined for an extended period after suffering a syndesmosis ligament injury two weekends ago.
The Bulldogs will provide a full injury report later on Tuesday.
