Fremantle’s versatile big man Oscar McDonald says the idea to transition him into a second ruck option and forward was sparked during the pre-season.

Now at his third AFL club, McDonald suffered a significant knee injury on debut for Fremantle in 2024 and had to wait nearly 400 days for another opportunity at the top level - one he has grasped with both hands.

The 196cm tall worked hard all night in his new-look role, kicking two important goals, crashing packs, and competing fiercely to provide a contest in the Club’s Len Hall Tribute Game win over the Crows on Friday night at Optus Stadium.

“I sort of put two and two together at the start of the pre-season that backline positions would be pretty tough to get,” McDonald said on the Final Siren podcast.

“I just thought I’d approach the coaches at the start of the pre-season and say, ‘Can we try a couple of things - try ruck, try forward - just training-wise to open up a couple of opportunities for myself, but also for the team to have a bit of flexibility.’

“I was sort of half prepared when I got the call-up to play forward and ruck (last week).

“In saying that, you can train it and play it through your head all you want during the week, but once you get out there it’s a bit different - going up against Max (Gawn) last week and (Reilly) O’Brien this week.”

Small defender Karl Worner is also enjoying a good run in Fremantle’s AFL side, with the 22-year-old featuring in his fourth consecutive game for the season - the most he has managed in his career to date.

Worner spent a large portion of his night playing on Adelaide’s Ben Keays, who before Friday night had kicked at least one goal in each of his last 16 matches. Worner said he is building confidence in the team week by week.

“It was my first ANZAC Day game… it was a really surreal moment,” Worner said on the Final Siren podcast.

“That minute of silence - you can hear a pin drop in the crowd, and it almost gives you butterflies.

“I’m just trying to build some continuity in my football. Unfortunately, last year I had that concussion in Round 1 which set me back a little bit.

“It’s a credit to the backline, and to Twig (Jade Rawlings) the backline coach, and Tendai (Mzungu), for what we are building back there.

“It’s a very strong backline, and for me personally, learning off that over the last three years has helped my game heaps.”

Fremantle now play St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Friday 2 May, and could finish Round 7 inside the top eight, pending other results over the weekend.