The Western Bulldogs, reeling under a late-season loss of form, on Saturday also lost defender Ryan Gardner, who was removed from  the team after attending a COVID-19 exposure site.

Gardner was barred from entering Tasmania for the Bulldogs’ clash with Hawthorn in Launceston on Saturday, the Hawks going on to score an upset win.

Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge confirmed Gardner had to remain in Victoria due to coronavirus protocols but would be available for selection next week.

“(Gardner) had done all the right things in Melbourne, he tested and he was negative,” Beveridge said.

“The Tassie government weren’t letting anyone into their state who had been to a tier two (exposure site).

“We only found out on Friday from the Department of Health; he’d done right thing, scanned the QR code.

“But the expiration of the 14 days is done now, he was right at the end of it, but he’d done all the right things.”

Stars Toby Greene (GWS), Rowan Marshall (St Kilda) and Callum Mills (Sydney) were forced into 14 days of quarantine last month after attending a rugby union Test at AAMI Park, which was named as an exposure site, and missed multiple matches.

-AAP