FREMANTLE is refusing to overreact to its round one shocker against Geelong, with coach Justin Longmuir declaring he won’t dismiss players’ form or the team’s game plan based on one performance.
The Dockers suffered their heaviest defeat under Longmuir against the Cats and come up against a Sydney team that will be desperate to avoid a 0-3 start to the season on Sunday at Optus Stadium.
Longmuir said there would be some changes as star recruit Shai Bolton pushes to return from a leg injury, but he would “largely trust the group” to respond.
“We’re not going to throw the game plan or the pre-season out the window, or players’ form out the window, after one game,” Longmuir said on Thursday.
“I can’t tell you how many changes there will be, but we’re not overreacting.
“There’ll be some changes, but I largely trust the group. We pick the team based on form and a body of work they’ve done over pre-season.”
Bolton will need to get through main training and then recover well to put himself up for selection, with the star forward/midfielder recovering from a sore fibula.
Longmuir said the dual premiership Tiger, who would be a straight swap for small forward Sam Switkowski (concussion), would have tweaks to his planned role if he passes his fitness test.
“We’ll probably have to manipulate his role a little bit compared to what we were doing in pre-season and what we had planned. But we think he’ll be right for four quarters.”
Longmuir said that dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe, who tagged Isaac Heeney in the teams’ last clash, would need another game at WAFL level before pushing for selection after playing half a practice game last weekend.
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Recruit Quinton Narkle was not yet ready, while big-bodied midfielders Will Brodie and Neil Erasmus have so far missed selection as the Dockers look to other options in the absence of Hayden Young and Fyfe.
“We’ll weigh up whether they get a look in this week, given the performances on the weekend.”
Longmuir was tight-lipped on the team’s ruck strategy this week against Brodie Grundy and whether forward/ruck Luke Jackson would play in the role ahead of Liam Reidy.
The coach said Heath Chapman was an option to come into the 22 after starting as the substitute last week, while key forward Pat Voss was in the mix.
