Fremantle could see up to four players come into the team that will face Port Adelaide on Sunday at Metricon Stadium, according to senior coach Justin Longmuir.
Only Thursday night’s main training, also at Metricon, stands in the way of the selection of forward Jesse Hogan, midfielder/defender Stephen Hill, defender Nathan Wilson and forward Sam Sturt.
Freo will name an extended squad of 26 on Thursday afternoon and the starting 22 will be finalised on Friday.
Longmuir said Wilson’s back was a primary concern, with the defender a late withdrawal against Brisbane last week.
“It’s Hill, Hogan, Sturt and Wilson that will all come into consideration,” Longmuir said.
“Wilson’s obviously got to get through training. He hasn’t done much for a week now with his back injury. We’ve got to make sure we’re fit.”
Wilson, Hogan and Hill played 14, 12 and three games respectively in 2019, while Sturt has one game to his name after earning the round one NAB AFL Rising Star nomination in March.
Longmuir said he was wary of bringing in too many players that had played limited game time in the past year.
“What we’re trying to balance up with our selection this week is to make sure that we don’t overdo it with players who haven’t played a lot of footy. It’s a real fine balance,” Longmuir said.
“We’re coming up against a team that is really fit, has got a lot of spread and is a really good running side. We’ve got to make sure that we can play a solid four quarters of footy.”
Longmuir said he couldn’t be happier with how Hogan handled his return to the club following a mental health break.
“I’m really impressed with the way he’s handled himself while we’ve been up here and since he’s been back,” Longmuir said.
“He got some disappointing news last week and he’s handled it really well. He played really well on the weekend. I think he showed he’s really close. If he gets through training, it’s looking really positive.
“When talking about footy, he’s incredibly footy smart. His IQ is really good when it comes to footy. He’s one of our smartest players and his ability to see it unfold on the ground, direct others to run to certain spots is something we missed.”
Fremantle are currently in the second week of what will be a minimum four-week stay at their hub on the Gold Coast.
Longmuir said the club and players were hoping for news on when they will be able to return to WA.
“If we have to stay here for longer, it’d be nice to know because it allows us to plan,” he said.
“It allows us to give those families back home some clarity around when they’ll see their loved ones again and possibly even organise to get them over. It’d be nice to get a date.
“It¹s with the AFL but they’re waiting on the government restrictions and feedback from governments all across the country.
“The AFL have got their hands tied a little bit as well. I’m sure they’ll give us notice as soon as they can.”
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