FREMANTLE is set to lose star ruckman Luke Jackson to a hamstring injury after the in-form big man went down against the Western Bulldogs on Sunday, but the Dockers will welcome back Sean Darcy and Hayden Young for Gather Round if coach Justin Longmuir has his way. 

Jackson left the ground late in the third quarter at Optus Stadium and didn't return as the Dockers secured a gritty 16-point win, with Nathan O'Driscoll (rolled ankle) and Corey Wagner (calf) also sidelined for the last quarter. 

While Jackson will leave a significant hole after a strong start to the season, Longmuir said Darcy would come into the frame as a direct replacement to take on Richmond next Sunday after pulling up well from his WAFL return. 

DOCKERS v BULLDOGS Full match coverage and stats

"We think it's low grade, so like all these things we'll get a scan but it's not significant," Longmuir said of Jackson's injury on Sunday night. 

"You might have seen him trying to test it at three-quarter time, that's an indicator that it's not significant.

"But you lose one of the best players in the team, it's obviously disappointing.

"He had nine score involvements, he was competing his backside off. And he's been one of our better players consistently across the first four games, so he's going to leave a hole."

Asked if the plan was to bring Darcy and Young back after one WAFL game, Longmuir said: "Sometimes my plans and everyone else's plans are different, but I would like them straight back in". 

Darcy's availability will be particularly important, with the 26-year-old returning through the WAFL after a long comeback from knee surgery and an ankle operation in February. 

"Let's face it, he's one of the best rucks in the comp. I think he gets lost a bit … he's been a top three ruck in the comp for a fair few years now," Longmuir said.

"Last year, we were a better team with him in the team, so he'll give us a lot. 

"I thought he played well yesterday. He wasn't playing against a slouch in the ruck for Claremont … and I thought he was able to run out the game pretty well. 

"He won't be playing 90 minutes in the ruck like he can when he's fully fit, but we'll see what sort of minutes he's up for, if he's up for AFL selection."

Longmuir was proud of his team's ability to hang on in the fourth quarter on Sunday as the Bulldogs attempted to make a charge against the banged-up Dockers but continually hit brick walls. 

The coach was also pleased with his group's ability capitalise on limited opportunities through the first quarter before launching a six-goal run in the second term that ultimately won them the match. 

"Every time we lose a game of footy, everyone wants to jump all over our ball movement, and it staggers me sometimes some of the commentary around our ball movement," Longmuir said. 

"But our ball movement kept us in that (first) quarter and kept us in front.

"The contest wasn't great. Field position wasn't good. We weren't defending the ground the way we wanted to defend the ground, but we were able to create opportunities on the back of our ball movement.

"We've done that consistently over the last two, two-and-a-half years, but for whatever reason, it goes unrecognised."

Opposition coach Luke Beveridge was frustrated by his team's inability to convert a weight of statistical wins into four points, with the Bulldogs enjoying more inside 50s (63-44), contested possessions (156-140) and overall clearances (42-39).     

The coach said skill errors and decision-making had been critical both in the Bulldogs not capitalising when they had the ball and then letting the Dockers score too easily from their chances. 

Sam Darcy was the Bulldogs' star, kicking five goals and taking 11 marks in another outstanding performance. 

"He was a real winner for us again, and I thought we got a bit too Sam conscious in the last quarter," Beveridge said. 

"I thought we kicked it to him a bit too much when we had different options. That becomes too predictable, and we've got enough threats. 

"But he was really strong and solid again for us, Sam."

Beveridge said the Bulldogs would assess forward Laitham Vandermeer, who was substituted early with a "clicking in his knee" that started to impact the way he was playing. 

"He couldn't reach his top-end speed, so we had to pull the trigger on the sub pretty early," Beveridge said.