THE DECISION by key defender Hugh Davies to remain with Fremantle and fight for his opportunity could prove significant for the Dockers in 2027 as the club waits on scans for their injured captain and most important player.
Davies is the logical backline replacement for Alex Pearce next season if an Achilles tendon injury rules the inspirational skipper out long-term, with the club hopeful he has suffered only a partial tear.
Pearce, who fell to the ground in space on Saturday while chasing a ball on the wing, flew home with the Dockers on Sunday and is set to undergo scans early this week when swelling on his Achilles tendon subsides.
The club is hopeful of a positive result but also bracing itself for the prospect of a "significant stint" on the sidelines if Pearce has suffered a full rupture of the Achilles.
In that scenario, the decision to re-sign Davies until the end of 2029 amid rival interest will be looked upon as a crucial decision as the backline is configured next season to chase Grand Final redemption.
"If it's a partial tear, then he probably doesn't need surgery. But you never know with these things. Once you get it scanned it could be worse," football boss Joe Brierty said on Sunday.
"Normally we would try and get him in pretty quickly to have a look at it, but we'll just see how the swelling goes. Sometimes that can delay things.
"That would be a significant stint and a surgical intervention if it was a full rupture. But we'll have a look at all that and get some advice from our medicos.
"At the moment, we don't think that it is [a full rupture]."
A partial tear would allow Pearce to return early next season, but a full rupture would put the 31-year-old's campaign in doubt and force the Dockers to look at options for his 2027 replacement.
Davies has played two AFL games in four seasons, but he proved this year that he would be ready when needed, playing 20 WAFL games and averaging eight marks as an intercepting force.
The 196cm backman had 24 disposals and 12 marks in Peel Thunder's Grand Final win against Claremont and took a massive 20 marks against South Fremantle in June as rival clubs circled the out-of-contract youngster.
Davies made the decision, however, to back himself at Fremantle and fight for opportunities, re-signing in July until the end of 2029 as the Dockers highlighted his importance for the club's future.
Brennan Cox will return from a late-season calf injury in 2027 after being the heartbreak story of the Grand Final, while fellow key defender Oscar McDonald performed well in the decider after Pearce was ruled out with injury.
The Dockers also have 31-gamer Josh Draper on their list as a taller defender, while the 200cm Ollie Murphy does not have a contract for next season after completing three AFL seasons without a senior game.
The club holds picks 17, 35 and 53 in the 2026 Telstra AFL Draft and could also look to get creative if needed and target a key defender, such as Greater Western Sydney star Sam Taylor, via trade.
Backing their elite development program, however, and elevating Davies next season could be the winning play.
"He knows his time will come and he’ll be ready to take his opportunity when it does," list boss David Walls said when Davies re-signed. That opportunity could be on his doorstep.