The Western Bulldogs’ one-point loss to Adelaide at Mars Stadium on Saturday ended a traumatic week for the club, coach Luke Beveridge says.

The mother-in-law of popular Bulldog Mitch Wallis, whose pregnant wife Emily is overdue with their second child, died on Thursday after being hit by a car in Melbourne last weekend.

Beveridge, who received clearance from the former vice-captain to disclose the reason for his absence, said it had been an emotionally testing week for several reasons.

Lachie Hunter, another former Bulldogs vice-captain, has taken indefinite personal leave from the club to “work through some individual challenges” affecting his health and wellbeing.

The mother of development coach Travis Varcoe, a former Geelong and Collingwood star, also died last weekend.

“It has been a challenging week for the group, for the club,” Beveridge said.

“It has been a really traumatic week for the families, and obviously your football club is like a second home, a second family, and everyone feels that and is really emotional around what is happening with Mitch and Emily and their families.

“We are just hoping everything goes smoothly over the next week or so with Emily and the imminent birth of their child.”

Beveridge did not attribute the defeat to the difficulties, saying the Crows deserved the credit for a victory born from a fierce contested style that “strangled” the Bulldogs’ run and flair.