Fremantle have made five changes ahead of their round two clash against GWS on Sunday at Optus Stadium.
As confirmed earlier in the week, defender Heath Chapman will make his debut in the clash after being drafted to Freo at no.14 in the 2020 NAB AFL National Draft.
Ruck Sean Darcy and forward Michael Frederick will make their returns from injury while defender Nathan Wilson also returns after building in back-to-back pre-season games for Peel.
In a quirk of the new medical sub rule, Stefan Giro is also an inclusion despite playing three quarters in round one against Melbourne.
Opposition: See who's in for GWS
Giro came into the game after the injury to Alex Pearce (knee), who is out alongside Joel Hamling (ankle), Liam Henry (calf), Tobe Watson (hamstring) and Connor Blakely (omitted).
Blakely, Sam Sturt, Joel Western and Leno Thomas have been named as the emergencies.
In Friday’s media conference, senior coach Justin Longmuir confirmed Darcy would play as a forward, meaning round one debutant Lloyd Meek will start in the ruck.
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“Sean comes straight in and he’ll play forward…he’s definitely done the work behind the scenes,” Longmuir said.
“He just needs to give us a contest and complement Taberner.”
Longmuir added that Wilson had earned his spot after improving his fitness.
“(Wilson) will play. He’s probably had to earn his spot in the side given our depth through the backline,” Longmuir said.
“He needed to get his fitness right as well but I’m really confident he’s ticked those boxes.
“He’s ready for that opportunity and deserves it so he’ll come in. He gives us a little bit of ball use and a bit of run and carry out of the backline as well which is probably something we missed as well.”
Bounce down for the clash is at 3.10pm WST and will be broadcast live into Perth on Channel 7 and Fox Footy.
The game can also be streamed on Kayo.
TABtouch 22 v GWS
B: H. Young, B. Cox, H. Chapman
HB: R. Conca, L. Ryan, N. Wilson
C: J. Aish, N. Fyfe, B. Acres
HF: E. Hughes, A. Cerra, T. Colyer
F: S. Switkowski, M. Taberner, L. Schultz
R/Fol: L. Meek, A. Brayshaw, D. Mundy
I: M. Frederick, S. Giro, C. Serong, S. Darcy
E: S. Sturt, L. Thomas, C. Blakely, J. Western
IN: Chapman, Frederick, Darcy, Wilson, Giro
OUT: Pearce; Hamling, Henry, Watson, Blakely
Justin Longmuir Q&A: Media conference 26.03.21
A letter from the captain
