Freo’s Morabito finally ready for return

Fremantle winger Anthony Morabito will put more than 15 months of frustration behind him when he lines up in the WAFL reserves on Saturday.

Morabito was a revelation in his rookie year of 2010, establishing himself as one of the league’s rising stars with some polished performances through the midfield.

But the 20-year-old’s dream start turned into a nightmare when he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee at pre-season training in December.

A series of subsequent setbacks delayed Morabito’s return, but the No.4 pick from the 2009 draft is finally ready to hit the paddock again.

Morabito will line up for the Peel Thunder reserves on Saturday and is confident of making an impact for Fremantle whenever he’s deemed ready for senior action.

“I’d like to think that I’ve run very good volumes, so when I get a fair bit of confidence and change of direction and all that, I’d like to think at the back-end of the year I’d be able to have a fair impact,” Morabito said on Tuesday.

“I’m just going to keep putting my hand up and giving good effort at (WAFL) level and hopefully that’s what gets me picked.

“At the end of the day, when you get to this stage of your preparation and you look back on however long it’s been … it’s all worth it.”

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has all but ruled out midfielder David Mundy for Saturday night’s clash with Geelong in Perth.

But ruckman Aaron Sandilands (calf) and on-baller Michael Barlow (leg) remain in the frame to take on the Cats.

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