AFL: Western Bulldogs stars Caleb Daniel and Adam Treloar set to face Geelong as Luke Beveridge questions sub rule

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge wants the AFL to scrap the medical substitute in favour of an extra player on the bench.

Beveridge believes it would put an end to the ongoing debate about the validity of in-game injuries that cause footballers to be subbed out of game but still be fit enough to play the next week.

The 2016 premiership coach said it was an opinion he had held ever since the AFL introduced the medical substitute rule ahead of last season, primarily for concussions but used for all injuries.

“If we think we need one as a buffer for concussion, (then) don’t make it a sub but just say you’ve got five on the interchange and you can use them if you want,” Beveridge said.

“It will add a bit of tactical intrigue. As I said back then – and I did promote it, as far as what I had to say at the table, when the AFL asked – I’m not going to circulate five players during the game.

“Four’s almost one too many, anyway, so you’re likely going to sit one down until you really need that player, but you could introduce that player for a quarter here and there and it creates a different angle.

“But all it does is it removes all the red tape and we don’t have to explain ourselves if you take a player out of the game and it’s just so simple.

“But we don’t usually make simple, practical decisions, unfortunately. So that was my take the whole way through.”

Swans coach John Longmire also endorsed this week a fifth bench player, or substitute without a medical clause attached.

The Bulldogs took a major leap back into the thick of the finals race when they chased down reigning premier Melbourne last week after trailing by 27 points in the first half.

They will enter round 20 clinging to eighth spot but with another huge challenge to come against top side Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.

Geelong has won its last 10 matches against the Dogs at the venue, something Beveridge was acutely aware of.

All-Australian defender Caleb Daniel (knee) will return after missing the past month, while Adam Treloar (calf) is also expected to play.

“We’ve been close down there over the journey but we just haven’t been able to beat the Cats in Sleepy Hollow and the ground is always an interesting one,” Beveridge said.

“It’s narrow, it’s long, it’s not a lot different to our ground (Whitten Oval), really ... you haven’t got as much room with your ball movement, not as much width, so in a sense, it’s a bit more congested ... (and) a bit easier defensively, because you can cover the metres a bit easier.

“But the Cats have been extremely impressive. Everyone’s talking about them being the new benchmark, which they obviously are, top of the ladder, and there’s been some change in their game this year that’s helped them prosper.

“They’re going to be a real handful for us ... the discipline in their game has allowed them to rise to the top, so we made some good ground last week in an important victory for us, but this one is as challenging as they come.”