Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has opened up on his “tough” conversations with Jaeger O’Meara, Corey Wagner and Oscar McDonald, praising the trio for how they had handled their omission from the senior side.
The returns of Caleb Serong, Brennan Cox and Matthew Johnson has left fringe forward Sam Sturt as the Dockers’ only player sidelined by injury, creating an unprecedented selection squeeze.
O’Meara, Wagner and McDonald, who have combined to play 372 AFL games, were the players to lose their places for a victory over another premiership contender in Geelong on Thursday night.
The trio have each ably contributed to Fremantle’s club-record winning streak — Wagner had missed only one game in 2026 and McDonald has held his own in his five appearances throughout the season, while O’Meara has managed four either side of a training incident which left him with multiple facial fractures.
In a pre-match interview on Channel Seven’s broadcast, Longmuir said he had not experienced a tougher match committee over his seven seasons as Fremantle’s coach.
After the game, he said all three dropped players could count themselves as very unlucky.
“They’re hard conversations for me to have, but they’re harder for the player to hear,” Longmuir said.
“Sometimes, players realise they’re in the team because of injury — that may be the case with Oscar, who’s come in and done a really good job but probably knew he got his opportunity because of injury and Coxy comes back.
“The other two that missed out, they were stiff. They’ve both been playing their roles really well.
“It’s a good position to be in as a club, but some of those players had to swallow a tough one and I thought they handled it really well.
“Sometimes, when you get left out of the team if you think you shouldn’t, you can take some energy away from the group, but if anything, they added energy with a really mature response.
“I’m sure they’ll go and play well and be ready when another opportunity presents.”
O’Meara, Wagner and McDonald are now set to feature for Peel Thunder on Saturday alongside Sean Darcy, who will play his third consecutive game in the WAFL after overcoming a calf injury.
Peel will have as many as 20 AFL-listed players eligible for selection for their game against East Perth in Mandurah, but are only permitted to play 13 in their senior side.
Although Fremantle eventually shook off their woes in front of goal in a nine-point win over the Cats, one constant from the evening was their defensive pressure.
The Dockers emerged with a 51-32 advantage in the tackle count, built off the back of 16 players applying two or more in the game.
But when asked if he believed the squeeze for spots was resulting in his players bringing more effort, Longmuir said he had not broached the topic with his players.
“I don’t overplay that, especially with the players, at all, because I think it can add more pressure to players who feel like they’re on the edge of selection, and more outcome pressure,” he said.
“As a club, we’re in a really good spot with our injury list. I thought the players that returned tonight all played their roles and it was another really even performance.
“We’re doing a lot right.”
