FREMANTLE hopes to have gun defender Brennan Cox and wingman Nathan O'Driscoll available for at least one pre-season game as the important pair recover from recent injuries.
Cox is slightly behind schedule after a skateboarding incident left him with an infected knee, while O'Driscoll is being managed after a hotspot in his foot was revealed.
Both missed training on Tuesday and won't feature in the Dockers' upcoming intra-club hitout on Friday morning, with Cox expected to be available when the Dockers meet Adelaide on February 24.
O'Driscoll, who shapes as one of the Dockers' permanent wingmen this season after the departure of Blake Acres, is more likely to tune up for round one in the official pre-season game against Port Adelaide on March 2.
"That would be our hope. The Adelaide game might be pushing the timeframe, but hopefully he (O'Driscoll) is available for the second one," coach Justin Longmuir said on Tuesday.
"'Drizz' has got a little hot spot in his foot. It's different to the one he had last year, and it looks like we've got it really early through some good reporting and awareness from Drizz.
"Coxy has probably taken a little bit longer with that infection in his knee, so we'll just make sure we build him up the right way."
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Cox was initially training in a glove last month after his skateboarding incident took skin off one of his hands, but the more significant knee issue emerged later, restricting him to running laps in recent sessions.
"He had a skateboarding incident which is not ideal, but it wasn't serious," Longmuir said.
"The scab got infected and left him in the situation he's in. It's something we could have stopped.
"The infection looks like it's cleared up (and) it looks like he's gotten on top of the swelling.
"Now it's just about making sure we don't put him out there too early and put him at risk of injuring some other part of his body."
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The Dockers are otherwise in a strong position with their availability, with draftee Tom Emmett likely to play some minutes in Friday's intra-club after recovering from an ankle injury.
Longmuir said there were no injury concerns out of Saturday's intra-club, with star midfielder Andrew Brayshaw missing training on Tuesday because he was unwell.
The Dockers will turn their attention to the captaincy vote in the coming weeks and hope to give the new leaders at least one match in their roles before round one.
With Brayshaw, 23, and Caleb Serong, 22, seen as leading contenders alongside experienced defender Alex Pearce, 27, Longmuir said age was no barrier to earning captaincy.
The coach favoured a standalone captain, rather than co-captaincy, but would be guided by what was best for the players.
"I'm probably more of a traditionalist and one captain is probably where I sit at the moment," he said.
"But I can be swayed on whatever is best for the footy club and whatever is best to lead the playing group.
"One thing I've said all along is we want to build a depth of leadership at the club, and especially in the playing group.
"Age doesn't play any part for me. It's more the leadership they show in all different situations."
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Former captain Nat Fyfe, who stood aside last week, continued to play in his new role as a permanent forward on Saturday and created plenty of opportunities, Longmuir said, without getting rewarded.
The coach said there were still wing spots "up for grabs" before round one as Liam Henry impresses this summer and Ethan Hughes continues to be used in the role.
Second-year midfielder Matthew Johnson is also in contention for the hard-running position, with regular wingman James Aish spending more of his time as an inside midfielder during recent match simulation sessions.
