Dockers call on star to face Suns after Pearce blow
Justin Chadwick and Shayne Hope |
Fremantle have shot Nat Fyfe straight into AFL action to face Gold Coast, but won’t have skipper Alex Pearce who overturned a three-match ban only to be cut down by injury.
And the Dockers will back in their two-ruck strategy in Saturday’s match against the Suns, with fit-again big man Sean Darcy boarding the flight from Perth on Thursday.
Veteran Fyfe was also on the plane and named on Thursday, despite having no match practice under his belt since injuring his hamstring in the WAFL in mid-April.
Pearce (leg) is set to miss the crunch match against the Suns at People First Stadium, joining goalsneak Isaiah Dudley (personal reasons) and defender Cooper Simpson (shoulder) as outs from last week’s 49-point win over Port Adelaide.
The loss of Pearce, replaced by Josh Draper, is a bitter blow to Fremantle’s hopes of posting a third win on the trot.
Pearce would have been the likely match-up for star Suns spearhead Ben King, who has kicked 31 goals this season to sit second on the Coleman medal tally.
It’s believed Pearce has a hot spot in his leg, similar to what Shai Bolton battled earlier this season.
It’s been an eventful week for Pearce, who was initially handed a three-match ban for his collision with Port’s Darcy Byrne-Jones, before having it overturned at the AFL Tribunal.
Simpson is set to miss about 10 weeks after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Darcy has missed the past two matches due to a knee injury, with Luke Jackson thriving in his absence.
Fremantle will go with a Darcy-Jackson one-two punch against star Suns ruckman Jarrod Witts and the recalled Ned Moyle, despite growing calls for the Dockers to back in Jackson as the No.1 ruckman.
“We probably fully expect those guys both to play, which is going to provide a set of circumstances we don’t see often,” Suns coach Damien Hardwick said of Darcy and Jackson earlier on Thursday.
“We’re going to have our challenges with that.”
Gold Coast have named Mac Andrew, who injured his ankle in last week’s win over St Kilda, while exciting rookie Leo Lombard will debut.
Collingwood have dropped Mason Cox, with skipper Darcy Moore, Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, Bobby Hill and Lachie Schultz all back for Friday’s clash with Hawthorn, who have added Jarman Impey at Cam Mackenzie’s expense.
Ollie Florent’s streak of 130 successive games will likely end, the Sydney utility dropped to the emergency list for their Adelaide clash after the Swans’ big loss to Melbourne.
The Crows have managed Rory Laird but experienced pair Brodie Smith and Taylor Walker are back in the side.
Dion Prestia will play his first AFL game for Richmond this year, against GWS on Saturday, after just one VFL game in his injury return.
Tigers skipper Toby Nankervis and Tom Lynch also return while Josh Kelly is back for the Giants.
AAP
