Fremantle have lost patience with key position pair Jack Anthony and Zac Clarke, while versatile big man Kepler Bradley could be given a chance to play his first AFL game since round three.
Bradley was named as an emergency for Saturday’s clash with in-form Richmond, but the side’s general manager football operations Chris Bond was talking up his chances prior to the side being named.
Bradley flew with the extended squad to Melbourne on Thursday, and Bond suggested he could play as a forward target in place of both Clarke and Anthony.
The Dockers have lost their past three games to Hawthorn, West Coast and Adelaide to slip to a 5-5 record and 11th position on the ladder ahead of the weekend’s game at the MCG.
Fremantle have travelled to Melbourne without both Anthony and Clarke, who have been sorely out of form playing as key forwards, with 100-game defender Paul Duffield also out.
Ruckman Jonathon Griffin, hard nut Nick Suban and veteran Adam McPhee were coach Ross Lyon’s three inclusions.
Bradley was dumped from the Dockers’ side in round four, then sidelined with a leg injury while playing in the WAFL.
He’s only had one game back in the WAFL since overcoming injury, but Bond says Bradley would be right to take on the Tigers if required.
“We think so (Bradley is ready),” Bond said on Thursday.
“He hasn’t missed too much training over those few weeks but at this stage we will just have to finalise that and see how everyone pulls up tomorrow.
“It’s an option with him in the ruck because he has been able to that in the past, but as a forward it’s really where he has found his niche at WAFL level and last year we saw it at AFL level.”
Bond was similarly upbeat that Suban and McPhee would be solid contributors in their return.
“Nick is certainly somebody who we think is in our best 22 when fit and available,” he said.
“He went back to WAFL level and we were happy with his form. He has averaged a fair bit of the ball and has been able to get inside the midfield as well.
“We will finalise and check with Adam (McPhee) to see how he pulls up after the flight, but he was actually quite important to our back six when he played.”