WAGGA footballer Matt Suckling is confident Western Bulldogs are still a legitimate AFL premiership contender despite a growing injury list.
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The Bulldogs premiership chances took a dive last Saturday night as key duo Mitch Wallis (broken leg) and Jack Redpath (ACL) went down with season-ending injuries in a shock loss to St Kilda.
Suckling, a two-time premiership player at Hawthorn, is in his first year at the Bulldogs but knows what it takes to achieve grand final glory.
The classy left-footer said the current situation around the injuries has only brought the playing group closer together.
“Saturday night was painful to be honest, I don’t know if I’ve experienced a night like it in my footy career,” Suckling said.
“We came off the ground and Mitch (Wallis) was still in the rooms on a hospital bed in a lot of pain. A quarter to half the group shed a few tears. It was really hard, but that just shows how tight the group is.
“We’ll find out a lot more on Friday night but...I think it will galvanise us.”
The Bulldogs, now in seventh place but only percentage off second, face a big game against Geelong on Friday night.
Suckling, who turned 28 this week, is confident the best of the Bulldogs is still to come.
“It’s such an open season,” he said.
“We haven’t played our best footy yet. I don’t think we’ve played a game of footy yet that we’ve been completely happy with.
“It’s a good even competition so if we can produce some powerful performances and get some momentum going into finals then we’re a big chance.
“Whichever team can get the most momentum going into finals is going to be hard to stop.
“It’s a bit different this year.”
Suckling believes the Bulldogs’ midfield holds the key to their September success.
With no shortages of injuries at the Bulldogs this week, Suckling could join the growing list on the sidelines as he faces a race against time to be declared fit for the Cats clash.