Fremantle recruit Luke Jackson will miss Thursday’s pre-season match towards Port Adelaide as a result of a head knock, whereas veteran Michael Walters faces a race towards time to be match for spherical one.
Jackson suffered successful to the pinnacle in final week’s follow match loss to Adelaide.
The 21-year-old impressed up ahead and within the ruck throughout that hit-out, and coach Justin Longmuir is assured Jackson shall be match to return for the spherical one conflict with St Kilda on March 19.
Watch the most recent sport on Channel 7 or stream totally free on 7plus >>
“Luke Jackson acquired a knock in a contest and had a little bit of delayed complications from that, so we’ll rule him out this week,” Longmuir mentioned on Monday.
“It is a no-risk coverage round head knocks so we’ll not play him this week however he needs to be proper come spherical one.”
Each Michael Frederick (quad) and Walters (Achilles) may even miss this week’s match towards Port.
Walters isn’t any certainty to face the Saints in spherical one.
“He is monitoring very well, and we’re nonetheless fingers crossed he’ll be proper for spherical one. However we’re not going to hurry him,” Longmuir mentioned.
“We have to guarantee that as soon as he comes again, he is able to play out the entire season.”
Defender Luke Ryan (again) is one other participant who will sit out this week’s motion, however the Dockers will welcome again Nathan O’Driscoll (foot sizzling spot) and Heath Chapman (tight hamstring).
Port are set to be boosted by the return of Charlie Dixon, Zak Butters and Darcy Byrne-Jones, however veteran Travis Boak is unlikely to play after being injured in a collision with Jeremy McGovern final week.
Scans cleared Boak of a fracture however confirmed in depth bruising across the ribs and lungs.
Though Fremantle misplaced the scratch match to Adelaide by 11 factors, there have been loads of positives to return out of it – most notably the three-goal haul by former midfielder Nat Fyfe.
The 2-time Brownlow medallist was hampered by accidents in 2022, however may very well be set for an enormous yr up ahead, with a full pre-season below his belt.
Relinquishing the captaincy to Alex Pearce additionally appears to be like to have taken a weight off Fyfe’s shoulders.
“I believed he acquired higher as the sport went on,” Longmuir mentioned of Fyfe.
“Not solely did he get on the tip of some alternatives, he created a couple of alternatives.
“He acquired increasingly assured in his recreation as the sport went on. He acquired a little bit of his previous mojo again. It was good.”
Longmuir praised the pre-season marketing campaign of Ethan Hughes, who appears to be like to have locked in a round-one berth for himself both at half-back or on the wing.
With Jackson absent this week, younger forwards Jye Amiss and Josh Treacy are anticipated to get one other likelihood to push their case for a round-one spot.
