Senior coach Justin Longmuir is hopeful key defenders Alex Pearce and Joel Hamling have avoided the worst case scenario after sustaining injuries during Saturday’s clash with Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday.
It was meant to be a day of celebration for the pair as they made their returns after more than a year on the sidelines.
Instead Freo were left sweating on what could be potentially serious injuries when Pearce came off in the second term with a knee injury and Hamling came off late with a leg injury.
Longmuir felt confident that Hamling’s injury was on the minor side, saying the defender had a slight chance of playing next Sunday against GWS at Optus Stadium.
“He’s got an ankle injury, the same ankle as last year but not the same injury,” Longmuir said.
“We just think it's ligament strain. He'll be touch and go for next week.”
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Longmuir expects Pearce to be out for approximately two months with a suspected MCL.
“We'll have to get it scanned but it looks like an MCL, so he's going to miss a bit of time,” Longmuir said.
“It's not season ending or anything like that but probably four-six-eight weeks, that sort of range. We won't know until we get it scanned which is really disappointing for him.”
Pearce appeared devastated on the broadcast in the moments following the injury and Longmuir empathised with the 25-year-old Freo leader.
“He's better with it now, when you've been out for so long, play your first game back and get injured again and it's not looking good, you do get emotional and think 'why me' and all that sort of stuff,” Longmuir said.
“He's in better spirits now and we'll get around him and support him and I know he'll do the work.”
Longmuir said Freo would have some relief from their injury woes with the likes of Sean Darcy and Michael Frederick a chance to return.
"We should get a few back, it's a bit early to tell but we should get back Sean, if Tabs didn't get up today we would've played him," Longmuir said.
"Michael Frederick is another one we think we will get back and it will be touch and go on Sonny (Walters) and a few others. Cross the fingers and hopefully we'll get a few more back."
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