Cody Weightman's long-awaited comeback is being hailed as a significant boost for the Western Bulldogs ahead of their Friday night test against Hawthorn.
A rare congenital knee condition sidelined Weightman for all of last year. His last game for the Bulldogs was the season-ending 2024 elimination final.
Despite being out for so long, coach Luke Beveridge was happy for Weightman to return without any VFL games.
"They (Weightman's teammates) definitely will get a spiritual lift. Some teammates just get inside your bones a little bit more than others, where you know how much they care for you," Beveridge said on Thursday.
"They know they want you to play as well as you can, even before their own performance, and Cody's that kind of human being. He's just a really special young man.
