Senior coach Justin Longmuir is confident Fremantle can field a strong and competitive side when taking on Gold Coast in six days’ time on Saturday at Optus Stadium.
 
The senior coach flagged potentially four changes due to injury after Nat Fyfe (shoulder), Griffin Logue (concussion), Brennan Cox (hamstring), Sean Darcy (hamstring) and Mitch Crowden (shoulder) all sustained injuries against the Western Bulldogs on Sunday.
 
Longmuir said Lloyd Meek was set to replace Darcy after impressing at Peel.
 
The ruckman had 34 hitouts and two goals for the Thunder against Swan Districts on Saturday.
 
“We will be alright (but) we might be a little bit thin (for numbers) in the emergency department,” Longmuir said.
 
“It’s a big hit but Fyfey might get some good news, so I still have my fingers crossed on a few of our players. We will definitely have three or four changes. 
 
“We had some good performances at Peel, we feel like ‘Meeky’ (Lloyd Meek) is in good form at Peel, we will have to change the team up a little bit but it’s not that dire.”

Longmuir would not confirm if key defender Alex Pearce would be available for AFL selection after playing full minutes for the Thunder.
 
It was Pearce’s third game back from a knee injury in the WAFL, where he had 14 disposals and seven marks.
 
“Alex Pearce has played two and a half games back now,” Longmuir said.
 
“It’s probably a bit early to talk changes to be honest, I’m still trying to get my head around the game and the damage that was done tonight. 
 
“We have enough time to worry about that sort of stuff over the coming days.”
 
Longmuir agreed that injuries have been higher across the board in the AFL this season.
 
“I think every club has been through it at some stage. Ours has been pretty consistent, we are getting a lot of collision injuries as well, there is not much we can do about concussion or Fyfe’s shoulder,” Longmuir said. 
 
“We have had a bit of a mixed bag with that. We would love to get some continuity in our team, unfortunately it is not going to be this week.”

Longmuir said he was confident Matt Taberner would return after he was a late out as a precaution as he continued to recover from an ankle injury.
 
He was pleased with how 18-year-old Josh Treacy stepped up in Taberner’s absence, kicking three goals.
 
“I thought the way he came at the ball was first class,” Longmuir said.
 
“I thought last week he showed some signs in the contest, he dropped a couple of marks inside 50 that he should have taken but tonight they stuck. 
 
“He just attacks the ball really hard, he commits to his leads and he got the rewards for effort. 
 
“He kicked really well and to kick a goal on the siren at three quarter time that is a real pressure kick, he is made of the right stuff.”