Fremantle have named their extended squad for Sunday’s Gather Round meeting with Richmond, naming Sean Darcy, Hayden Young, Sam Switkowski, Oscar McDonald, James Aish and Liam Reidy as six potential inclusions for the Barossa Valley trip.
Darcy has been named in the ruck for the first time in 2025 after recovering from both knee and ankle injuries over the off-season.
The 26-year-old played managed minutes in Peel Thunder’s Round 1 WAFL game last weekend, notching 19 hit outs, 12 disposals and five tackles.
Young joins Darcy in the middle, named in the centre with Murphy Reid and Jaeger O’Meara on the wings.
The 23-year-old Young also featured in Peel’s draw, gathering 19 disposals and kicking three goals.
If named in the final team of 23 on Friday, it will be Young’s first AFL game since fracturing his leg in last year’s final match of the season.
Sam Switkowski is the last of the inclusions to be named on field for the Richmond clash, with the 28-year-old named at half forward alongside Michael Frederick and Shai Bolton.
Switkowski injured his groin in the Round 1 loss to the Cats, subsequently spending three weeks on the sidelines.
James Aish, Oscar McDonald and Liam Reidy round out the potential inclusions, with all three named on the extended bench alongside Bailey Banfield, Isaiah Dudley, Matthew Johnson and Jeremy Sharp and Karl Worner.
As reported in Tuesday’s injury update, Luke Jackson (hamstring), Nathan O’Driscoll (ankle), and Corey Wagner (calf) are all forced changes from the squad.
If selected in the final 23, McDonald will play his first AFL game since suffering a serious knee injury in Round 1 of 2024, which saw him miss most of the AFL and WAFL seasons.
Aish has been recalled to the squad after being the tactical substitute in Round 3’s RAC Derby.
Reidy featured in Fremantle’s Round 1 loss to Geelong and played alongside Darcy in the WAFL last week, recording 17 hit outs and 10 disposals.
Fremantle have never played at Barossa Park before but have won the last two encounters with Richmond by 51 and 54 points.
Fremantle’s final team will be announced at 3.00pm WST on Friday at fremantlefc.com.au.
The tactical substitute will be confirmed one hour before bounce down on Sunday.
