\n Despite suffering a serious injury Bailey Dale played out the Western Bulldogs’ final match\n <\/p>\n
Bailey Dale during the round 24 match between Western Bulldogs and Fremantle at Marvel Stadium, August 24, 2025. Picture: Getty Images<\/p>\n
THE WESTERN Bulldogs would have been without All-Australian hopeful Bailey Dale for this year’s finals series had they qualified, after the defender suffered a broken wrist during last Sunday’s defeat to Fremantle.<\/p>\n
Dale bravely played through the entire final quarter with the wrist injury, having fallen awkwardly on his arm in the third term, with scans in the subsequent days confirming a nasty fracture.<\/p>\n
It makes Dale’s late efforts all the more remarkable, with the Bulldogs star racking up eight disposals and two marks in a gallant final quarter effort that helped pull his side to within 15 points of the Dockers before just falling short.<\/p>\n
Dale underwent surgery on Tuesday to stabilise the fracture and repair the injury, with his arm set to be in a cast for the next fortnight. He would have been ruled out for the entire finals series, had the Dogs qualified.<\/p>\n
But the Bulldogs’ medical staff are confident the running half-back’s fracture will heal and he will regain full fitness before the start of the side’s 2026 pre-season campaign over the summer.<\/p>\n
The Bulldogs’ slim finals hopes were dashed on Wednesday evening when Gold Coast soundly defeated Essendon in the season’s final game to ensure a ninth-place finish for Luke Beveridge’s team despite an impressive 14-9 record.<\/p>\n