Pearce will pull on Peel guernsey at weekend
Danyle Pearce will make his first appearance for Peel Thunder on Saturday as Fremantle weigh up whether to get extra game time into a host of first-choice players before round one.
The 28-year-old looked rusty against West Coast on Sunday, managing just 12 disposals and three behinds in the 19-point win.
It was Pearce’s first game of the pre-season after sustaining a calf injury at training and he operated at a disposal efficiency of 58 per cent.
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon confirmed the 203-game mid-fielder would turn out for Peel against West Perth at HBF Arena on Saturday.
He said a decision would also be made later this week on whether Aaron Sandilands needed more game time ahead of Fremantle’s season opener against Port Adelaide at Domain Stadium on April 5.
Michael Barlow (ankle) and Paul Duffield (ribs) were nominated as potential WAFL starters by Lyon.
“Barlow is pretty important to us and Duffield,” Lyon said.
“Danyle Pearce in his first hit-out, a bit scratchy, but he’ll play at Peel next week.”
Matt Taberner’s fitness looms as a crucial piece in Fremantle’s round-one puzzle given his role as a foil for captain Matthew Pavlich, who caught the eye against the Eagles.
The 21-year-old missed the club’s final two NAB Challenge matches with Achilles soreness.
Lyon said Taberner would need to play WAFL this weekend to be ready to face Port Adelaide.
Tendai Mzungu (hamstring) is also likely to be considered depending on his output at training.
Meanwhile, West Coast are happy with the conditioning of Nic Naitanui and Scott Selwood after both players emerged unscathed from their first pre-season hit-outs on Sunday.
Coach Adam Simpson said Naitanui would not be given a run for East Perth, who host Swan Districts at Medibank Stadium on Saturday.
“He’ll be right,” Simpson said. “We’ll take that game and get him right for round one.”
Selwood had 24 disposals, four clearances and kicked a goal against Fremantle in an impressive return after off-season ankle surgery.
