Fremantle could welcome back midfield pair Caleb Serong and Darcy Tucker for Sunday’s round five clash with Essendon, while defender Alex Pearce is also expected to put his hand up for selection.

Serong played in the opening two games of the season before a minor knee injury sidelined the contested ball-winner for the past two matches.

Pearce was a very late out in the moments before Freo’s 34-point win against GWS on Saturday, replaced in the side by Griffin Logue after a conservative call on Pearce’s ankle.

Meanwhile, Tucker will exit the AFL’s concussion protocols ahead of Sunday’s match.

Executive General Manager of Football Peter Bell said Serong, Tucker and Pearce would each face fitness tests this week.

“Alex was very, very close to playing, it was a marginal call,” Bell said.

“It was a conservative call, but we are really confident that Alex will be available this week.

“We are expecting both Darcy and Caleb to also be available for selection.”

Bell also provided a progress update on Nat Fyfe’s rehabilitation from back surgery, and the latest on draftee Matthew Johnson’s ankle injury.

“Nat is continuing to go pretty well, and it is going to take a little while, but he is working really hard at it and progressing well,” Bell said.

“Some good news for ‘Johnno’, he has been out running on the field and has now progressed off the AlterG (anti-gravity treadmill).

“It would be around four or five weeks until we would be expecting him to be back playing footy.”

INJURY LIST
Alex Pearce (ankle) – test
Caleb Serong (knee) – test
Darcy Tucker (concussion) - test
Nat Fyfe (back) – TBA
Matthew Johnson (ankle) - TBA