WESTERN BULLDOGS will need to find another midfielder to stop one of Hawthorn’s guns after it was confirmed last week Mitch Wallis would miss the rest of the season.

It is a big blow for the Bulldogs who have played outstanding football in the last six weeks.

Wallis, who successfully tagged gun Essendon midfielder Dyson Heppell in Round 18 fractured his foot in his side’s loss to the Bombers at Etihad Stadium.

The youngster, who is the son of Bulldogs great Steve Wallis, has been one of the game’s best defensive midfielders taking scalps that have included Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury, Melbourne skipper Nathan Jones, Port Adelaide’s Jared Polec, Brisbane’s Tom Rickliff and Richmond’s Trent Cotchin.

Wallis’s injury was the turning point in his team’s loss to the Bombers, when he was unable to come back on in the early minutes of the final term.

With the Bulldogs in control of the game, the momentum swung Essendon’s way when Heppell dominated the midfield in the absence of Wallis.

The young Bomber led his side to victory with 22 disposals, 10 clearances and six inside 50s, taking full advantage of Wallis’s injury.

Wallis’s worth to the Bulldogs isn’t just in his defensive capabilities though, with the midfielder still able to make an impact with ball in hand.

He was outstanding in the Round 16 win over Gold Coast with 28 disposals and was among the best against the Pies by nullifying the influence of Pendlebury, while picking up 21 touches of his own.

Wallis is ranked fifth at his club for clearances, averaging 3.7 per game and ranked fifth too for clearance from the centre with 1.1 per game.

He is also ranked seventh for contested possessions

With the Hawks possessing a number of offensive weapons in the midfield including Jordan Lewis, Sam Mitchell, Isaac Smith and Luke Hodge, it means coach Brendan McCartney will need to find another play to fulfill Wallis’s selfless role.