Star midfielder Lachie Hunter will return to AFL football this week, with senior coach Luke Beveridge revealing the Western Bulldogs will make at least three changes for Sunday afternoon’s clash with the Adelaide Crows.

Hunter was the only inclusion confirmed by Beveridge at this stage.

“Lachie trained with the group this morning, he’ll be part of the 22,” Beveridge said.

“This week he seems to have all the bases covered, so he’ll play.

“It’s been a challenge because he’s such an influential player, to have him out of the side. Hopefully we can really get some productivity from him in his role on Sunday.

“We had Lachie lined up to play (last week) but he just had a little bit of an issue with a calf during training and had to ice it after it and we didn’t want to take any risk.

“As part of his journey to get back, we played him in the scratch match… we didn’t want to take that risk after he’d been out for so long into the (AFL) game last week.”

But speedsters Jason Johannisen and Laitham Vandermeer will both miss the game, joining injured key defender Zaine Cordy as outs from last week’s team that played the Brisbane Lions.

Johannisen hasn’t overcome an ankle niggle from Wednesday’s training session, while young gun Vandermeer will be managed.

“(Jason) will miss,” Beveridge said.

“It’s not major, we think he’ll be in line to possibly the play the game following this weekend.

“We’re going to give Laitham a rest. 

“There’s too many red flags this week with him to enter into Sunday’s game. It’s a shame, because he’s really added something different to our team, a different dimension, some blistering speed.”