Western Bulldogs midfielder Scott West has suffered another setback in his attempt to return to the AFL, injuring his right knee and missing the next five weeks.


West has not played since Round six, after incurring bone stresses in his joint.

Originally set to come back after the split round this and next week, West will be seeking a return in the latter part of the season, just before the finals.

Bulldogs general manager James Fantasia says that the 33-year-old is "really struggling" coming to terms with the injury, and his recover time.

"He's had a terrific career and his durability's unquestioned," Fantasia told SEN radio.

"(The injury's) as foreign to him as it probably is to us.

"He was progressing pretty well but he began to feel some discomfort with it again, so that's where we got him re-assessed and the inflammation (around the knee joint) hasn't come down as we would have like it to," he said.

"Our decision was we would lighten his load a bit to take the pressure off it.

"We kept saying two weeks but it just hasn't got there so we said, 'no lets take the pressure off and say it's four weeks'.

"It now gives him a chance to get back which we think he will.

"We're going to take him off the track for now the next two weeks which will give him two weeks back (training) before he's ready to play.


Fantasia also went a long way in denying that the bone stresses would end the midfielder's career.

"Scott's very resilient - he's got a very healthy and natural fitness base," Fantasia said.

"There will be the initial match conditioning that he needs but that might be a game or two before you're back into (playing well) at an AFL level, we're confident he can work his way back in the side."

"One of the points of differences he brings into the mix is his ability to find the ball and his experience," Fantasia said.

"He adds fairly significant leadership to our group, which will be a bonus come finals time."

The Western Bulldogs will take on Port Adelaide on Saturday night.