Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir is hopeful Luke Jackson’s physique is robust sufficient to deal with the No.1 ruck mantle within the absence of massive man Sean Darcy.
Darcy will miss at the very least the following two video games after injuring his proper ankle in final week’s 46-point AFL loss to Collingwood.
Jackson, who has performed predominantly as a ahead this 12 months, endured hip soreness when he was pressured to guide the ruck in Darcy’s absence earlier this season.
If Longmuir needs to maintain Jackson up ahead, he has the choice of handing 23-year-old rookie ruckman Liam Reidy an AFL debut for Saturday evening’s conflict with Sydney in Perth.
But Longmuir is assured Jackson will have the ability to deal with the majority of the ruck duties if wanted.
“Some of the (previous) concerns were caused off the back of his spike in ruck loads,” Longmuir stated of Jackson’s hip grievance from earlier this season.
“He went from being a second ruck and doing minimal ruck while playing mostly forward, to all of ruck. It was a big jump, which he wasn’t used to.
“This time, hopefully, he’s used to it. He’s already been through it and he’s had that taste for being the No.1 ruck, and his body is up to it.”
Reidy, who’s listed at 204cm and 104kg, tallied 39 hitouts and 7 disposals in his most up-to-date WAFL hitout.
“He probably started the year a little bit slow. He’s (had) a few hiccups along the way,” Longmuir stated of Reidy, who was choose No.11 within the 2023 rookie draft.
“But he’s had some consistency over the last three or four weeks, which is going to put him in the discussion (for a senior call-up this week).
“Physically (he’s ready). It’s just a matter of whether the craft is up to the level to be able to give us the best opportunity to succeed around clearance and compete the way we want to compete.
“Clearly Luke (Jackson) is our second-best ruck on the list, we just have to weigh up whether he’s best served in the ruck or forward.”
Defender Brandon Walker will miss the remainder of the season with a severe patella tendon drawback in his proper knee, whereas fellow backman Brennan Cox remains to be sidelined by an ankle harm.
But Hayden Young (ankle) and Michael Frederick (soreness) are set to return in opposition to the Swans, together with star midfielder Caleb Serong (suspension).
Defender Heath Chapman, who has been sidelined since spherical three with soft-tissue accidents, is on monitor to play some minutes within the WAFL this weekend.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
