Opinion
It is the final two minutes of the first semi-final against the Brisbane Lions. Brownlow threat Marcus Bontempelli goes to the ground, in agonising pain, with a suspected PCL injury.
The Bont dismisses any doubt that he won’t play next week, although he might just be putting on a brave face to subdue fans. If he is indeed unable to play at his 100 per cent best, we now wonder who could take his place of No.1 Dog.
Many neutral fans will go straight for your Jack Macraes, Adam Treloars, or even your Josh Dunkleys, but there is another veteran roaming the streets of Footscray. And he goes by the name of Tom Liberatore.
After being drafted to the Bulldogs with the father-son rule in the summer of 2010, he has been a fantastic player for the red, white and blue. Take the game against the Lions, for example. In that first term, he scored two quick rapid-fire goals to kick-start the Bulldogs for that whole game.
It’s times like these where the whole football world comes to look at the Dogs team and start thinking that they can beat anyone. On a good day for them, that is true. They have the midfield speed and depth to poke holes through an opposing teams defence with ease. And although they have had a form slump in the second round of the season, they have been one of the best teams this year.
Their midfield do have some stunning names in the mix, and Liberatore compliments them all perfectly through his ability to make any kick to him look like it was served up to him like a Gary Ablett Jr sizzling stab pass.
Back to that Lions game now. After that amazing first quarter, Liberatore went quiet in the second term, only to come roaring back in the third, where the Dogs took it up to the Lions, and set up a fourth quarter for the ages.
If the Bulldogs are challenged by Port in the first prelim, and Cody Weightman and the Bont cannot play due to injuries, then it has to be Libba that steps up. It has to be Libba who, when times are tough, kicks a goal to get them back in the hunt.
Expect a monumental battle between Liberatore and Bergman. Whoever wins will book their side a place at Optus Stadium for the prestigious grand final.
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