LUKE Beveridge has labelled AFL.com.au's Sliding Doors column "disgraceful" for inferring the Western Bulldogs may have fabricated a back injury to Tom Boyd.



Contributor and long-time journalist Damian Barrett surmised in his weekly column: "IF back soreness is the real reason Boyd is not playing this weekend … THEN that's a shame. Would've liked to have seen him up against Gawn. Instead, (Jordan) Roughead, who Bevo has developed a set against, will go up against a guy who may be the best ruckman in the game."

BARRETT ON BOYD Read the round 17 Sliding Doors column

Boyd has had a well-documented battle with mental health issues over the past 12 months, and only returned to the senior side in round five after being sidelined with the condition since the middle of last year.

Speaking on Tuesday afternoon, a fired-up Beveridge wasn't mincing his words when asked about the column, dismissing the claim and declaring Boyd would have gone head-to-head with Gawn if fit.

Boyd will need to pass a fitness test to prove he's right to make the flight to Perth to take on the Eagles at Optus Stadium on Sunday.

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"I think (the column is) disgraceful," Beveridge said.

"With mental health such a significantly sensitive issue in our game, for (Barrett) to infer we were making up (Boyd's) injury and that there is something else wrong, and why (he) would even go there, just shows what we're dealing with.

"Whoever contracts and employs (Barrett), I'm inquisitive to know what the driver is from a moralistic point of view, and a contentious point of view - there's not much there.

What Luke Beveridge said is wrong and inaccurate. My reference to Tom Boyd had nothing to do with what Luke has claimed. I would never reference such a matter in such a way. It is unfortunate that Luke has chosen to go down this path. — Damian Barrett (@barrettdamian) July 17, 2018

'We've been really happy with a 22-year-old developing ruckman who potentially, as we move into mid-twenties, will be an operational and damaging key forward – that would be outstanding.

"He found himself in a week where he was sore, out for a week and hopefully back in (against West Coast), there's a chance we'll play that 50-50 approach with 'Roughy' (in the ruck and attack).

"We've got to get through match committee and work that out."

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Beveridge also hit back at Barrett over his questioning of his relationship with Jordan Roughead, a player who has largely out of favour this season and a free agent at season's end.

"Even insinuating that 'Roughy' and I have relationship issues, and I'm throwing him under the bus by playing him against Gawn, is divisive," Beveridge said.

The Western Bulldogs and Barrett had a meeting earlier in the season to work out the differences two parties have had in recent times.