Clancee Pearce could get the nod to tag Fremantle antagonist Steve Johnson on Sunday in the absence of Ryan Crowley, according to defender Paul Duffield.
Pearce put in a solid effort on Port Adelaide captain Travis Boak in Sunday’s seven-point win, but Duffield believes Geelong star Johnson will also need some close attention.
“I think Clancee Pearce did a reasonable job on (Travis) Boak on the weekend,” Duffield said.
“Ryan’s been fantastic on Steve for a long period of time.
“We know he’s an exceptionally damaging player and he can tear games apart by himself.
“He’s probably one of a few we’ve got to try and curtail his influence on the game.”
Stevie J free to play
Crowley is unavailable for selection as he is under a voluntary suspension before his AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal hearing on Friday 1 May.
Duffield says while Crowley can’t help Freo on the field, he has been having an influence off it by helping out Pearce and his teammates.
“He’s (Pearce) really fit and he’s a strong, hard, determined player,”
Pearce rises to new challenge
“He’s got some great mentoring from Ryan at this stage in time to help him out.
“Ryan’s been sharing his knowledge with all of us on ways of beating opponents and those sorts of things and it’s a great way to keep him involved at this stage in time.
“He even had a conversation with the small defenders the other day about ball work and how to position the body and those sorts of things at stoppages.
“He’s having an influence on the group even though he’s not quite involved at this stage in time.”
Fremantle senior coach Ross Lyon told 1116 SEN on Monday that Crowley has been putting the team first despite his own personal situation.
“He’s coming in, he’s in every meeting and he’s training,” Lyon said.
“He’s helping mentor Clancee Pearce and I really admire what he’s done in the past, but he’s got himself in a position where he could see that his career is over.
“We’re supporting him, his partner Samara is supporting him, but it’s really a tough, tough situation.”
