Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has backed experienced Michael Walters to start as a reserve for the third week in a row, but acknowledged the match committee faces a key decision on his role in the team in the coming weeks.
Walters' last full game was against Melbourne in Alice Springs on June 2. Fremantle had a week off. He injured his thigh after playing 32 minutes in Round 14. He was then brought back on as a substitute against Richmond in Round 17, playing 48 minutes.
Walters spent just 24 minutes on the field against Hawthorn after coming on as a substitute last week, giving him just 104 minutes of playing time over the past six weeks.
With Peel having a week off, Longmuir did not have the option of letting him play a full game in the WAFL. He said Walters had the experience and talent to play well as a substitute.
“We believe Sonny coming on as a substitute gives us the best chance of winning this game,” Longmuir explained.
“When he's come on as a substitute, except maybe last week, he's had a big impact on us as a substitute. You want to bring in someone who can have an impact, preferably in the front half. I think he's doing that well. My message to him was that next week is next week. Let's focus on the now. A lot can change in a week.”
Competition for positions in Fremantle's team is fierce, with captain Alex Pearce returning from injury this week and Josh Draper losing his place. Sean Darcy will also play but the Dockers have not yet announced their final team to confirm any other absences.
Fremantle has just four players on its injury list and Longmuir said he has a wealth of options to choose from each week.
“We're going to be missing 10 guys this week who could easily step in and take on a role and we'd love to have them on the team,” he said.
“Drapes is missing this week and he's in really good form. The message to him was to stay ready. He's shown he can play really good football at AFL level and he was pushed out by the captain. He just needs to be ready for his next opportunity.
“The medical staff and our high performance team have put in place a really good programme to build the physical resilience of our players. They train a lot. They train hard and the guys who go through all this become really resilient. We have put in place a good programme to rehabilitate the players and make sure there is no re-injury, which is a crucial factor.”