Western Bulldogs confirm Aaron Naughton has avoided ACL damage after suffering knee injury in loss to Sydney

Western Bulldogs forward Aaron Naughton has avoided a season-ending ACL injury in Thursday night’s loss to Sydney.

Naughton left the game in the second quarter after his knee was caught in an awkward position in a tackle.

The Bulldogs confirmed in a statement on Friday afternoon that Naughton had sustained a “moderate grade medial ligament injury” after scans on the star forward’s right knee.

Naughton is expected to miss between four and six weeks as he recovers from the injury.

The 24-year-old was one of three Bulldogs players to come out of the gruelling 14-point loss to the Swans nursing injuries, with Anthony Scott and Ed Richards both concussed.

After being drafted ninth overall by the Bulldogs in the 2017 draft, Naughton has become the lynchpin of the Bulldogs’ forward line, having led the club in its goal kicking over the last two seasons.

Naughton has so far kicked 22 goals in 11 appearances this season.

With Naughton absent for at least the next month, more goalkicking responsibilities will fall on the shoulders of the talented Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, who has so far kicked 16 goals in nine matches in 2024, including three against Sydney on Thursday night.

The Bulldogs are also anticipating the return of vice-captain Tom Liberatore, who has been sidelined since suffering a nasty head injury against Hawthorn in Round 8.

Liberatore has been training with his teammates and will be cleared to return to AFL action next month after “extensive specialist consultation” in recent weeks.

The Bulldogs currently sit 11th on the ladder with a 5-6 record through 11 matches in 2024 and will face the AFL’s reigning premiers Collingwood next week.