Ross Lyon will welcome back All-Australian defender Luke McPharlin as Fremantle make the journey to Darwin on Saturday night where the Dockers coach will once again lock horns with Paul Roos.
Lyon was a premiership assistant to Roos at the Sydney Swans in 2005, with the latter now in his first year in charge of a much-improved Melbourne outfit.
Fremantle need to keep winning to retain a top-four position on the ladder and helping that cause will be the return of 234-game, 2012 All-Australian defender McPharlin after a knee injury that has sidelined him for the past three weeks.
With Alex Silvagni recovering from a punctured lung and his replacement last week Matt Taberner down injured as well, Lyon is glad to welcome the 32-year-old back.
“He’s travelling really well. He will train today. He needs to jump the final hurdle. If he does that we will name him and play him,” Lyon said.
“Taberner has a slight little nick, so he will miss this week.”
Fremantle will be playing in Darwin for the first time since 2007 on Saturday night, but Danyle Pearce (with Port Adelaide) and Colin Sylvia (Melbourne) have played there more recently.
The humidity has caused significant difficulties for travelling teams, with more than half of the Fremantle squad trialling the use of gloves at training on Thursday.
“I’m not sure who suggested it but because of the humidity up there, they will trial it now and with a view to wearing them in the game,” said Lyon.
“They will wear them in the warm-up and if they feel comfortable – you need to get organised and permission from the AFL and stuff – so we got permission.
“We’ll trial them, have a go today – and if we need them they will wear them. It depends on the conditions.”
Lyon is fully aware that his old mate Roos, whom he also played with at Fitzroy, has made Melbourne significantly better defensively and tougher to play against this year.
“They are a different proposition under Paul, we all know and understand that, and accept that, and it’s our job to go up and really compete fiercely,” Lyon said.
“As much as they are a challenge for us, we are a significant challenge for them and we will ask a few questions of the Melbourne football club as well.”
