FREMANTLE trade target Sean Darcy will play less as the Dockers attempt to protect his body and give Luke Jackson more chances to flourish.

And Dockers veteran Michael Walters has been forced to the sidelines again after his troublesome knee flared up after last Saturday's WAFL hitout.

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Darcy is contracted to Fremantle until the end of 2030, but Essendon is rumoured to be in the hunt for his services if it loses Sam Draper to Adelaide or Brisbane.

Fremantle's heavy investment in Jackson and Darcy as a two-man ruck combo has come under heavy criticism, especially in the wake of Darcy's injury struggles.

The 27-year-old has played just seven of the Dockers' 14 games this season, on the back of being restricted to 12 appearances in 2024 and 15 the year prior.

Jackson has thrived in the games Darcy has been absent, leading to calls for Fremantle to cut the dual ruck experiment short.

Dockers coach Justin Longmuir doesn't agree, and he'll unleash both Darcy and Jackson together in Sunday's clash with St Kilda at Optus Stadium.

Goalsneak Isaiah Dudley also returns.

"He (Darcy) was out of the team last week because it was a five-day break against Essendon, so he'll come back in," Longmuir said on Friday.

"And we'll assume the same sort of set-up we did against Gold Coast and North Melbourne, which we thought gave us good success."

The set-up against the Kangaroos and Suns resulted in Jackson taking on the lead ruck role, as well as playing as a big-bodied midfielder or forward at times. 

Darcy was a best and fairest winner in 2021 as one of the competition's premier ruckmen, but knee and soft tissue injuries have halted his progress.

Longmuir wants to keep playing Darcy, but the 203cm ruck will have to be content with a diminished role.

"While Sean is building form, he's happy to play whatever role the team asks of him," Longmuir said.

"He cops a little bit of a lower game time, but it's probably going to be the new way for him in some respects.

"That's probably more about his body than anything. He's been injured a lot.

"When we've played him (previously), we've played him 90, 95 per cent in the ruck, which is a demanding position.

"We need to make sure we look after him and his availability, as much as Jacko."

Walters made his long-awaited comeback from knee surgery in the WAFL last week, but pulled up sore from the encounter.

"The way he described it to me was he took two steps forward to play a game last week, and he's probably just taken a step back," Longmuir said.

"He's got a bit of soreness in that knee again. I don't think it will cost him more than one week."

Longmuir said skipper Alex Pearce is on track to return for next week's crunch clash with Sydney at the SCG.