FREMANTLE coach Justin Longmuir says it is unlikely the team could fit Mason Cox and Sean Darcy in the same side early in the year as it prepares to welcome up to six first-choice players back from injury for the season-opener against Geelong.
Cox pushed his case for selection with an impressive performance against Adelaide on Saturday, while No.1 ruckman Darcy got through managed minutes in a WAFL practice match as he returns from a calf injury.
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The Dockers also have key defenders Alex Pearce and Brennan Cox to return from calf issues, as well as Sam Switkowski (concussion), Karl Worner (knee soreness) and Luke Ryan, who lined up with Darcy in the WAFL on Saturday against West Coast.
Longmuir said managing the returning players would be a balancing act for the team, but squeezing two ruckmen into the 23 alongside star big man Luke Jackson was unlikely to be the approach against Geelong on March 14.
"I wouldn't have thought so. Especially not early in the year when the game asks for a lot of run and fatigue is more present early in the year. So I would doubt it," Longmuir said after a 16-point win against the Crows at Mandurah's Rushton Park.
"We've just got to get a balance right between players who have done all the work and are as close to peak fitness as they can be at this time of the year, and those who aren't.
"It's a little bit different with some guys."
Longmuir said he was pleased with Cox's performance on Saturday, with the former Magpie finishing with 30 hitouts and setting up a goal for Shai Bolton with a brilliant tap over his head.
Despite not playing a pre-season game with the AFL team, he said Darcy's experience and "elite ruck-mid connection" would factor into selection when the season starts.
On Ryan, who also played a WAFL match simulation game last week after a pre-season impacted by shoulder surgery, the coach said playing at WAFL level was a better path for his physical preparation.
"There was a conversation with Luke during the week. He would have been in the team today, but there's a balance between getting him in the team today and maybe not playing 100 per cent of the game time that we needed him to," Longmuir said.
"So the decision with him was made to get maximum minutes at WAFL level.
"Luke's played a lot of footy with our backs, so there's a lot of cohesion there and experience, so it (selection) probably more comes down to fitness."
Longmuir praised the midfield performance of young gun Murphy Reid, as well the five-goal performance of key forward Josh Treacy, who was nominated for the captaincy on Saturday by the team's leadership group.
Adelaide head of coaching Murray Davis took the reins on Saturday for the Crows' final pre-season hitout as Matthew Nicks watched on from the back of the interchange bench for a different viewpoint.
Davis praised the performance of young midfielder Charlie Edwards and said a group of younger players had given the team confidence in its depth heading into the season.
He said star forward Riley Thilthorpe would be available to start the season after he was withdrawn late on Saturday due to back soreness.
"He was here, so the intention was for him to play, but he woke up a little bit sore in the lower back, so we just went the conservative option and decided to take no risk," Davis said.
"He'll be fine. We'll get him back to Adelaide and he'll be right for round one."
On midfielder Jake Soligo, who underwent a procedure this week to treat an irregular heartbeat, Davis said the 23-year-old returned to the club on Friday and would join the program on Monday.