Fremantle’s jewel in the crown Jesse Hogan will make a long-awaited AFL return this weekend, but the backline will hold just as much intrigue for rookie coach Justin Longmuir.

Hogan will put a year of injury and mental-health challenges behind him when he lines up in Sunday’s clash with Port Adelaide at Metricon Stadium.

The return of the former Demon is set to become one of the major talking points of the match.

But Longmuir will be shining just as much of the spotlight onto the back six following their wobbly display in last week’s 12-point loss to Brisbane.

Lions goalsneak Charlie Cameron had four goals to his name by the seven-minute mark of the second quarter, and Longmuir was not happy with how his defenders fared.

“As a back six we need to defend better,” he said.

“Charlie got a hold of us on the weekend, but I thought as a back six we didn’t work together well enough.

“We want to make sure that as a backline we defend as one. We’re not six individuals back there defending. I expect a much improved performance from our backs.”

The return of Stephen Hill from his latest quad injury will add vital experience and class to Fremantle’s defence.

His addition is timely against a potent Port forward line featuring the likes of Charlie Dixon, Robbie Gray, Steven Motlop, and Justin Westhoff.

Fremantle hope the inclusion of Hogan alongside fellow tall Matt Taberner will give the side a good focal point in attack.

Port thrashed Adelaide by 75 points last week, and have been further boosted by the return of Ollie Wines.

Youngster Connor Rozee has already put his hand up to perform the shutdown role on Fremantle’s two-time Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe – much to the surprise of Power coach Ken Hinkley.

“He must have been delusional,” Hinkley said.

“I’m sure he didn’t mean that. No-one would want to go head to head with Nat Fyfe, he’s a very good player.

“All our midfielders will go against all their midfielders, it’s as simple as that. It’s not player v player, it’s midfield v midfield, it’s team v team.”