Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has flagged defender Brennan Cox for a WAFL stint as he prepares to return from a significant hamstring injury.
The key defender tore the tendon in his right hamstring in the Dockers’ first game of the season against Brisbane on March 17, but is just a week away from returning to the field.
However, the Dockers will continue their trend of allowing their players to ease back into the squad with affiliated WAFL side Peel Thunder, especially given the excellent form of youngster Joshua Draper.
“(Cox’s) close,” Longmuir told 7NEWS.
“We think, given the amount of time he would have missed, it will be 11 or 12 weeks since he hurt himself; he’ll probably spend a week at least in the WAFL for his fitness and building his form to get ready for the rigours of AFL.
“We’re really happy with the way Drapes is playing, and our backline is going really strongly.
“As much as we’d love to have Coxy back, there’s no rush, and when we get him back, we need to make sure that he hits the rest of the season in good form.”
Brandon Walker made his return from a torn patella tendon with Peel, while Heath Chapman was given three WAFL outings after a hamstring strain.
Cox’s return throws a selection spanner into the works for Fremantle, who are flying after belting Melbourne by 92 points in Alice Springs.
Longmuir labelled the win, which came before their round 13 bye, their season’s best “four-quarter” performance.
“I feel like it’s been building and very close to clicking,” he said.
“Against Melbourne was our best four-quarter performance, and like I said post-game, it felt like all our phases clicked.
“We started getting bang for our buck, so we need a good four-quarter performance, and we need to build off it.”
Dockers players were given a four-day break immediately after the victory over the Demons.
The Dockers have also confirmed a timeline for Nathan O’Driscoll, who has endured a frustrating injury run since developing a blood clot in his knee in the club’s pre-season clash with crosstown rivals West Coast.
“Drissy (O’Driscoll) has just begun his on-legs program after about four to five weeks off legs,” Fremantle Reconditioning Coordinator James Grierson said.
“He will be another five to six weeks away while we build him up through footy.”
Matt Tabener could return to WAFL action after serving concussion protocols with Ethan Stanley and Ollie Murphy, both tests heading into the weekend.