Sean Darcy may spend longer on the sidelines than initially anticipated with Fremantle considering surgery on the ruckman’s injured ankle.
Darcy rolled the ankle in a ruck contest against Collingwood in round 18 and came off the ground in the third quarter.
Speaking to 6PR, Executive General Manager of Football Peter Bell said the Club would make a decision next week based on the advice of specialists.
“It's reasonably serious. Sean's having consultations with some specialists and potentially may even have surgery on the ankle ligaments that he's damaged,” Bell said on 6PR.
“We're just working our way through that and we'll make a final decision early next week.
“It may be a little longer than we're all expecting, so we'll update accordingly early next week.”
Bell said the Club wouldn’t take any risks with Darcy, especially with Luke Jackson capable of taking over the no.1 ruck role in his absence.
Jackson has been playing through a minor injury in recent weeks, but Bell said the forward / ruck was ‘over those niggles’ and ready to make the step up in the ruck.
“We have to make sure that we get (Darcy's) injury right, and if it is to be surgery or a longer term conservative management, then we have to cop our medicine there,” Bell said.
“It's a shame because of the player that Sean is. He's been putting together a really good season, so it'd be disappointing if he wasn't going to be a contributor in the remainder of this year.
“We feel like we've got good depth, we know that Luke Jackson can step up and we've got some other options as well.
“We'll just work our way through that over the coming weeks.”
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