Justin Longmuir flags Hayden Young, Liam Reidy as options as Fremantle’s injuries mount

Several Fremantle stars could be forced into positional shifts as the club prepares to be without Brennan Cox and Oscar McDonald for months.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 17: Hayden Young of the Dockers in action during the round one AFL match between Fremantle Dockers and Brisbane Lions at Optus Stadium, on March 17, 2024, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Will a combination of Fremantle’s long-term injuries and new-found midfield depth force Hayden Young back to the Dockers’ defence?

The answer to that question depends on who you ask.

“We might be here for a while this arvo,” Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir quipped on Wednesday morning, referring to the Dockers’ upcoming match committee meeting.

The loss of key defenders Brennan Cox (hamstring) and Oscar McDonald (knee) against Brisbane poses a headache-inducing selection conundrum for Fremantle. Both will be out for the long term.

Cox underwent surgery on Tuesday and won’t be seen again for at least three months. Specialists are still assessing the extent of McDonald’s knee injury with severe swelling preventing a diagnosis.

Hayden Young could be heading back. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

The Dockers say they have plenty of options to cover the pair. The only problem is that the most obvious solution is the trigger Fremantle is most reluctant to pull.

Fremantle’s defensive depth improved so dramatically over one pre-season that Young, the Dockers’ big-bodied midfield saviour at the end of last year, is no longer the headline act.

The Dockers’ midfield looks big and formidable again thanks to the return of a fit Nat Fyfe. Matt Johnson’s performance against Brisbane wasn’t reflective of the pre-season he’s had. Neil Erasmus is banging down the door and started as sub on Sunday. Will Brodie is patiently waiting for his opportunity. And Jaeger O’Meara didn’t play due to knee soreness.

But Young was excellent in the midfield against Brisbane, collecting 23 disposals, nine tackles five clearances and a touch under 300 meters gained in the first three quarters. The tipping point was the loss of McDonald and Karl Worner, leaving Fremantle minus two defenders.

Young was also sent back to defence in Fremantle’s pre-season match simulation bout against West Coast to make room for Brodie and Erasmus in the midfield.

Speaking ahead of Fremantle’s main training session on Wednesday morning, Longmuir said he was reluctant to move his “swingman” back into defence. But he did say it was an option worth considering.

Brennan Cox is helped off with a serious hamstring injury. Picture: Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“Depends which coach you ask,” Longmuir said. “I’ve spoken about getting the midfield right all pre-season and when the midfield is right, it does help the backs out so we want to get that balance right.

“We thought he was going well through the midfield and we wanted to maintain the rage through there.

“He’s a bit more seasoned back there. Youngy is an option if we feel like we need a bit more bounce back there but we need to weigh up getting the midfield mix right as well.”

Fremantle captain and defender Alex Pearce said he wouldn’t be opposed to Young returning to the backline but conceded it was doubtful.

“I think it would be unlikely but you never know,” he said. “We know he can do it so if we need him, he’ll fit in and we’d have him. We won’t send him away.

“It’s good to play in a team where guys have played in multiple positions. Not everything is going to go your way throughout a season so sometimes you need guys to play out of their comfort zones and play different roles.”

Oscar McDonald clutches at his injured knee. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Longmuir said Fremantle’s primary consideration is what solution will serve the Dockers’ best interests in the long term.

Second-year key defenders Hugh Davies and Josh Draper are also in the selection mix. But both are yet to debut.

“Probably more long-term,” Longmuir said when asked about the tipping point between experience and youth. “That’s another consideration because we’re not going to get Coxy or Oscar back next week or the week after.

“We’ve got to have a plan for the next month or maybe the rest of the year. It’s not just a short-term decision.”

Longmuir is confident that Draper and Davies are ready to play senior football if given an opportunity.

“He’s (Draper) had a great pre-season,” he said. “Hugh has had a great pre-season as well.

“They’ve been playing key position at Peel all of last year and they’ve been playing on our key forwards across the pre-season.

“Drapes got an opportunity in the West Coast game and the back end of the Port game. That shows that we’re rating the way he goes about his footy.

“Both are in the mix. Both have improved a lot since the back end of last season with another pre-season under their belt and running. They’re well placed if they get their opportunity.”

Whatever option Fremantle decides on won’t change how the Dockers’ defence operates.

“We pride ourselves on being a six vs six defence when we’re on the field,” Pearce said. “We’ve trained so much together over this pre-season and there’s been different iterations of that six that have played together when we’ve played scratch matches.

“We’ve built a lot of trust over that time so we’re comfortable with whoever comes in.” 

Originally published as Justin Longmuir flags Hayden Young, Liam Reidy as options as Fremantle’s injuries mount