Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Fremantle defender Brandon Walker has not been ruled out of their must-win semifinal clash with Geelong on Friday night, coach Justin Longmuir has revealed.
Walker is in a race to be available after suffering an ankle injury in last week’s defeat to Hawthorn.
Walker was a shock inclusion for the clash with the Hawks, making just his fourth appearance in two seasons to take on star small forward Nick Watson.
He left the ground in the third term after twisting his ankle attempting to chorale Watson.
Longmuir said the 23-year-old’s scans were better than expected.
“He hasn’t been ruled out yet,” he told 7NEWS.
“We’ll give him every opportunity. I thought he played his role pretty well up until he got injured.
“He provided some good run for us as well on offence, and it was really shattering to see him go down, but he’s got a decent result with the scan and still remains a chance this week.”
Walker produced one of the Dockers’ few highlights of the night on Thursday, splitting through two Hawks forwards at half back and bursting away through the corridor to set up an inside 50.
If Walker was ruled out of Friday night’s sold out do-or-die clash, he won’t be replaced by Brennan Cox, with Longmuir saying it was likely the defender’s calf strain wouldn’t be fit until at least the preliminary final weekend.
“We haven’t made a final call, but it looks unlikely,” he said.
“He’ll need another week by the looks of it.”
But it appears Walker’s fitness is the only selection decision looming for the minor premiers, Longmuir suggesting there would not be mass changes off the back of the stunning defeat, where they were beaten in all facets.
“We’ll largely back in what’s got us here and obviously we need to improve on that from last week,” he said.
“You change a little bit week to week, depending on what the opposition brings and the opposition’s strengths.
“There will be some slight changes, but mainly we’ll be back in what got us here.”
The Dockers would become the second table-topping finalist in as many years to go out in straight sets if their season comes to an end at Optus Stadium on Friday, after Adelaide last season.
Longmuir also revealed he had asked the umpires for clarification on the rules for forward-line marking contests after being on the end of some borderline non-calls.
“There are a few decisions we have asked the umpires for clarification on, we haven’t received those yet,” he said.
“There was a few marking contests we would like clarification on. It just helps us coach the players so we’ll use that going into this week.”
Should Fremantle beat the Cats, Sydney awaits at the SCG in the preliminary final.
