Fremantle Dockers Stars Sean Darcy and Luke Ryan in Round One Contention
Experienced Fremantle Dockers players Sean Darcy and Luke Ryan remain in the running to feature in round one against Geelong, according to coach Justin Longmuir, despite not being selected for any pre-season matches.
Darcy and Ryan participated in a reserves practice game on Saturday morning and observed from the sidelines as Fremantle secured a 16-point victory over Adelaide in Mandurah later that day.
Injury Challenges and Selection Considerations
Darcy has been managing a calf injury for the past month, while Ryan has been limited in training with the main group following a shoulder reconstruction. Longmuir emphasized that their extensive experience will be a key factor in selection decisions.
"Both of them have been around for a long time," Longmuir stated. "If Sean didn't have the games he'd had with the midfield, you'd be a little bit reluctant to throw a ruck in there with that mid-forward connection. But he's elite with his ruck-mid connection."
He added, "Luke has played a lot of footy with our backs so there's a lot of cohesion there and experience there. It probably more comes down to fitness."
Competition for Spots and Fitness Focus
Mason Cox strengthened his case for a round one berth with an impressive performance against the Crows, leading respected commentator David King to suggest it would now be "impossible" for the Dockers to overlook Cox.
The decision to exclude Ryan from the match against Adelaide was surprising, given injuries to key defenders Alex Pearce, Brennan Cox, and Karl Worner. Longmuir revealed that Ryan was nearly selected but a meeting determined he would benefit more from extended game time in the reserves.
"There was a conversation with Luke during the week. He would have been in the team but there was a balance between getting him into the team and maybe not playing 100 per cent of the game time that we needed him to," Longmuir explained.
"So the decision with him was made for him to get maximum minutes at WAFL level. That was a bit with Sean too. We thought the early game today was best fit for where he was in his program."
Balancing Act Ahead of Round One
Longmuir highlighted the importance of managing player fitness and readiness as the team prepares for the season opener. "We've got to get the balance right leading into round one. Hopefully we've got Coxy, Pearcey, Sean, Luke, Switta and Karl Worner who missed today," he said.
"We've got to get the balance right between players who have done all the work and are as close to peak fitness as they can be at this time of the year and those who aren't."
This strategic approach underscores Fremantle's focus on optimizing player performance and team cohesion for a strong start to the AFL season.
