FREMANTLE will continue with Mason Cox as its second ruck for Saturday's clash against Melbourne as superstar big man Luke Jackson prepares for an All-Australian showdown against former mentor Max Gawn.

Sean Darcy is mounting a strong case for a recall after a terrific performance with Peel Thunder in the WAFL, but coach Justin Longmuir confirmed on Thursday that the Dockers would not make changes to their ruck department this week.  

Jackson's ruck battle with Gawn will be one of the key match-ups in an anticipated clash at the MCG, and Longmuir said his star big man was well placed to take on the Demons' premiership captain.

"He (Jackson) loves going up against the best. He loves trying to improve his game and loves trying to prove himself," Longmuir said on Thursday. 

"He knows Max probably better than I do. He obviously played with him and got mentored by him and he'll be ready for the challenge and up for the challenge.

"He (Gawn) is clearly a great of the game. His form has probably never been better, but his influence on the team and on the game has probably never been higher either.

"It's a great challenge for our rucks, who we feel are a real strength and barometer for us as well. It's going to be a good hit out for them."

Jackson and Gawn have been the two standout ruckmen this season, with their consistency and ability to win crucial centre clearances separating them.

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Longmuir said there was no reason why both couldn't feature in this year's All Australian team, and their match-up should not be a deciding factor when it comes to choosing the No.1 big man. 

"He (Jackson) would be in my team, but I don't see why him and Max couldn't both be in. I don't see why they couldn't play a couple of them," the coach said. 

"But I don't really get caught up in that. I don't get caught up in that narrative either. It's a body of work. It's not one game. It's not a head-to-head match-up that determines those things. It's a body of work.

"So, yeah, let the selectors do their job."

Darcy has played seven games this season and has not featured at AFL level since the round 17 loss to Greater Western Sydney. The big man had 26 disposals and 41 hitouts for Peel Thunder at the weekend in a performance that kept him in the match committee's thoughts.

"There won't be any change with the way we go about our rucks this week. Yeah, I feel like Coxy's doing a good enough job to hold his spot in the side and we're liking what he's doing," Longmuir said when asked if he had settled on the ruck structure this week.

"I understand Sean's form at WAFL level has been strong and I thought he took a step forward on the weekend with some of the areas that we're working on with him.

"So he's definitely putting pressure on, but Luke and Mason will head the ruck combo this week."

Fremantle has locked away a top-two finish and the right to two home finals, with Saturday's clash at the MCG their last opportunity to play at the venue before a potential Grand Final, assuming they win two home finals.

Longmuir said banking experience at the MCG was no longer important for his team overall and the club was not treating this week like a Grand Final dress rehearsal.

The Dockers have played 12 games at the Grand Final venue under Longmuir and have a 6-4 record since emerging as a team on the rise in 2022. 

"We've had plenty of experience at the MCG and it shouldn't hold any fears for us," Longmuir said.

"We feel like we've played there enough and had good experiences and some average experiences there. We've beaten teams that have been on top of the ladder.

"I just don't get caught up in dress rehearsals and this and that. We're going over there to give our best and all we've got to improve our footy against Melbourne.

"It'd be disrespectful to this game if we got ahead of ourselves. It's not the be-all and end-all either."