Western Bulldogs’ forward Cody Weightman faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after dislocating his elbow during Saturday night’s clash against Fremantle in Perth. Scans conducted on Monday revealed the need for surgery following the recurrence of the injury over the weekend. The 23-year-old initially dislocated his elbow in round three against West Coast but continued to play, relying on a sleeve for support in subsequent matches.
Weightman’s injury occurred during a marking contest at Optus Stadium, forcing him to be substituted out of the game early in the second quarter. The setback adds to his history of elbow issues, dating back to June 2022 when he first suffered the injury.
Despite the injury setback, Weightman had an impressive start to the 2024 season, showcasing his skills as one of the league’s top small forwards with 14 goals and 3 behinds in the first six rounds. However, the Bulldogs’ 24-point loss to Fremantle leaves them at 3-4 for the season, placing them just outside the top eight at the conclusion of round seven.
In better news for the Bulldogs, they anticipate the return of key players for their upcoming clash against Hawthorn. Inside midfielder Tom Liberatore is set to come back after missing two consecutive games due to illness, while star forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan is also expected to be available after personal reasons kept him out of the past two matches.