Matthew Suckling has returned to full training after battling an achilles complaint in the second half of last season according to Western Bulldogs Coaching Performance Manager Chris Maple.

Suckling played seventeen matches in his first season at the Kennel and averaged career highs in disposal efficiency (79.5%) and average intercept possessions per game (3.5), while ranking fifth at the Club in average metres gained per contest.

He did not play again after the Semi-Final against the Hawks.

But Maple says Suckling is set to be selected to play in at least one of the two remaining JLT Community Series matches.

“Matty has re-joined the group now, in full training, so he won’t be too far away and hopefully we can see him in the next couple of weeks, Maple told media during the Club’s Australia Post AFL Community Camp visit to Ballarat this week.

“Late in the year he was struggling to get up week to week and obviously missed the Grand Final, but at the moment he is back in full training and, as I said, we should see him in one of the next two JLT’s.”

The 28-year-old Suckling rated above average for a general defender for disposals, uncontested possessions, metres gained and score involvements in 2016 according to Champion Data statistics.