Tom Liberatore is close to rediscovering his mojo as one of the competition's standout inside midfielders, says Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge.
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Liberatore racked up 19 tackles in the Dogs' 32 point win over Melbourne on Sunday, almost a quarter of his team's total of 86.
His tally equalled that previously recorded by retired Swan Jude Bolton and North Melbourne tyro Jack Ziebell.
Liberatore also compiled 25 disposals, seven clearances and five inside-50s, kicking an early goal in his side's first game away from Etihad Stadium this year.
He has played every game this year after missing all of the 2015 season because of a knee reconstruction.
"That was outstanding," said Beveridge, of Liberatore's final tackle count.
"We're not a huge tackling side. We're probably a high possession side, and that's almost a quarter of our tackles, I think we just ticked over 80.
"The thing about it that is quite extraordinary is it's his second, third, fourth efforts.
"Last week, I think it was, he chased, and someone got around him and he went again.
"He did it again today. It's never say die stuff. He sets a great example for his teammates, and I think over the last two or three weeks he's just started to get his mojo back as a stoppage and inside mid.
"He's been very, very good for us."
The Bulldogs' win was the sixth for the season, Jake Stringer kicking five goals with Jack Redpath and Tory Dickson adding three.
Marcus Bontempelli, Luke Dahlhaus and Lachie Hunter were all among the most influential Dogs.
The Bulldogs will next play Greater Western Sydney, on the road for the first time this season in a game Beveridge said his side would look forward to.
"I think each game just presents its own incentive. It's sort of like an adventure, almost like a great race when you think about it," Beveridge said.
"There's challenges along the way and sometimes you stumble and sometimes you get them right, and GWS is going to be a big challenge up there.
"They're obviously going extremely well, they've had a couple of big scalps and that in itself presents something we can't turn out mind from.
"They've got momentum. Every part of their game seems to be in order. We'll take our game to theirs, and we clash, and we see who comes out on top.
"We're looking forward to it. Even though we played our first seven games under the roof (at Etihad) the players have been looking forward to the next part of the season and getting away from there, to a degree.
"It can become too familiar, so we're looking forward to going up to Spotless (Stadium) and playing them."
