cody weightman is back for the Western Bulldogs after 637 days out, with the small forward named to return against Hawthorn in Round 13. The Bulldogs made one change for Friday night at the MCG, and Lachie Jaques made way.
Weightman last played in the Elimination Final against the Hawks in 2024, so his selection ends a long wait for a senior return. He is one of the few players in this team who can change the forward mix immediately, because the Bulldogs have chosen to bring him straight back for a match that starts at 7:40pm AEST.
Weightman Back at the MCG
Luke Beveridge put the return in plain terms: "Bevo breaks the news that Cody will make his AFL return after 637 days on the sidelines." That is the clearest sign yet that Weightman has done enough to force his way back into the senior side for a Friday night clash that will be played under lights at the MCG.
The timing is specific. He comes in for Round 13, against the same opponent he last faced in the Elimination Final in 2024. For a Bulldogs side making only one change, the selection says as much about what the club wants in attack as it does about the length of his layoff.
Jaques Makes Way
Lachie Jaques is the player removed from the team to create the spot. That is the only change in the selected line-up, which keeps the rest of the Bulldogs group intact for a match that begins at 7:40pm AEST and sits squarely in the middle of the Friday night schedule.
Caleb May, Luke Kennedy and Jedd Busslinger were named as emergencies, giving the Bulldogs cover around the main squad if anything changes before the bounce. Those names also show how tightly the side has been trimmed around the one forced selection call, rather than reshuffled across the board.
Hawthorn, Friday Night, 7:40pm
The match will be shown live on Channel 7, 7 Plus, Fox Footy and Kayo Sports, so the return will be easy to track for viewers who want to see how quickly Weightman fits back in. For the Bulldogs, the immediate test is simple: one return, one omission, and one chance to reset their forward line against Hawthorn.
That is the story now. Weightman has a senior jump start after 637 days away, Jaques has made room, and the Bulldogs will take the change into a Round 13 meeting that arrives with the kind of selection pressure that usually tells its own story on the field.
